Prashant Satpathy, a resident of Odisha's Balasore district, was among the 26 civilians killed in the terror attack at Baisaran near Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday afternoon. He had travelled to the scenic Kashmir valley with his wife and eight-year-old son for what was meant to be a brief family vacation. The trip ended in tragedy when terrorists opened fire indiscriminately on tourists gathered at the popular meadow.
Mr Satpathy's death was confirmed after verifying his identity through a helpline established by Jammu and Kashmir Police. According to sources, he was shot during the initial burst of gunfire. His wife and son survived the attack. Local officials in Balasore, working closely with central and Kashmir authorities, are coordinating logistical support to bring the grieving family and Mr Satpathy's body back to Odisha.
The incident unfolded around 3 pm on Tuesday at Baisaran, a high-altitude grassland about six kilometres from the resort town of Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as gunmen stormed the meadow - known for its pine forests and panoramic views - and began shooting at unarmed tourists. People were picnicking, riding ponies, and taking photographs when the assault began.
The death count makes it the most serious terrorist strike against civilians in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing.
Other victims include tourists from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat. Some of the injured were evacuated from the meadow by locals on horseback before helicopters arrived for airlifts. Medical teams have been deployed to Srinagar and Anantnag hospitals, where several of the wounded are in critical condition.
The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility for the attack. A joint operation involving the Indian Army, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police has been launched in and around Pahalgam to apprehend the perpetrators. Search operations have also expanded to forested areas surrounding the meadow.
(With inputs from Dev Kumar)
