A holiday turned horror
On 22 April 2025, the verdant meadows of Pahalgam echoed with gunfire instead of birdsong. Among the 26 civilians slain was 42‑year‑old businessman Manjunath Rao from Shivamogga, Karnataka. His wife Pallavi and their eight‑year‑old son had arrived in Kashmir the day before, eager to show the boy his first glimpse of snow. Within minutes, their dream vacation morphed into a nightmare etched forever in India’s conscience.
The official death toll rose from 24 to 26 overnight after two critically wounded tourists succumbed in hospital. Latest figures are reflected here.
“They picked Hindus first” – Pallavi’s shattering account
The moment of terror
Time & place: ~1:30 p.m. near Lidder River viewpoint
Attackers: 3–4 militants in pherans, wielding AK‑series rifles
Tactic: Separate queues, ask names, shoot point‑blank
Pallavi recalls standing in line for pony tickets when masked men stormed the area. “They asked our names. When my husband said ‘Manjunath Rao,’ they fired without hesitation,” she recalls, voice cracking yet determined.
A chilling message: “Tell Modi”
As Manjunath collapsed, Pallavi clutched him, begging the gunmen to kill her too. One terrorist snarled, “I won’t. Go and tell Modi what you saw.” The command wasn’t random—it was psychological warfare aimed at India’s highest office, betting that a widow’s testimony would amplify fear nationwide.
Acts of humanity in the crossfire
Three local Kashmiri men rushed Pallavi and her son behind a boulder, staunching Manjunath’s bleeding with spare scarves until army medics arrived. “They kept repeating ‘be strong, sister.’ Their kindness saved me,” she says, challenging narratives that paint all locals with the same militant brush.
The long road to bring him home
Bureaucratic hurdles
Transporting a body from a conflict zone is logistically fraught. Terrain and curfews hamper ambulances; refrigerated hearse vans are scarce. Pallavi appealed for an Indian Air Force C‑130 to airlift the coffin directly to Shivamogga, bypassing Srinagar’s overburdened roads.
Government response
Within hours, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured full state support. The Union Home Ministry coordinated with the IAF, and by midnight, a flight plan was cleared. Pallavi and her son will accompany Manjunath’s remains, escorted by a counsellor from the National Disaster Response Force’s psycho‑social unit.
Why militants target identity
Sectarian optics
Intelligence sources suggest Lashkar‑e‑Taiba‑linked cells aim to reignite communal fissures by killing visibly Hindu tourists. The explicit order to “tell Modi” weaponises grief for propaganda: forcing national leaders into hawkish retaliation that fuels further radicalisation.
Economic sabotage
Tourism is Kashmir’s lifeline; Hindu‑majority states like Karnataka and Maharashtra supply a large share of visitors. Striking them depresses bookings and inflames interstate outrage, pressuring New Delhi politically and financially.
A widow’s courage becomes a nation’s call
Pallavi’s first request after tragedy wasn’t revenge—it was dignity: “Please bring my husband home quickly, so our son can say goodbye.” Her composure under global media glare has humanised the statistics; hashtags #JusticeForManjunath and #StandWithPallavi trended within hours, transcending political divides.
What must change?
Strengthen on‑ground intelligence
Local informant networks need better incentives and protection to report suspicious strangers in tourist belts.
Facial‑recognition CCTV at entry checkpoints can flag known insurgents without blanket surveillance on civilians.
Victim support protocols
Rapid‑relief desks at valley hospitals should coordinate paperwork, transport, and grief counselling, sparing families the bureaucratic maze Pallavi navigated.
Compensation disbursement must shift to direct‑benefit transfer within 48 hours, not weeks.
Narrative counter‑offensive
When militants dictate messages like “tell Modi,” India must respond by amplifying survivor stories of inter‑faith solidarity—like the Kashmiri Muslims who saved Pallavi. Such narratives undercut extremist propaganda that thrives on division.
