J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was at Syed Adil Hussain Shah's funeral
Syed Adil Hussain Shah worked as a pony ride operator at Pahalgam's Baisaran meadow, a tourist hotspot popularly known as 'Mini Switzerland' for its scenic beauty. The young man would ferry tourists on a pony from the car park to the meadow.
Yesterday started like just another day. The tourist season in Kashmir was at its peak. Shah must have hoped for good earnings throughout the day. In the afternoon, as tourists were having a great time, bullets pierced the mood of jubilation. What followed was mayhem. Terrorists armed with rifles started shooting tourists, one by one. Names were asked, religion confirmed and lives brutally snatched away. Among the 26 killed in the most heinous attack in the Valley in the recent past, there was one Kashmiri Muslim -- Shah. Local reports have said he was not a target, but was shot dead when he tried to shield the tourist he was with and attempted to snatch a killer's gun.
A heartbroken father said those responsible for the carnage must face the consequences. "My son went to Pahalgam yesterday to work, and around 3 pm, we heard about the attack. We called him, but his phone was switched off. Later, at 4.40 pm, his phone turned on, but no one answered. We rushed to the police station, and that's when we learned that he had been shot in the attack. Whoever is responsible must face the consequences," Syed Haider Shah told news agency ANI.
Shah's mother, crushed by the tragedy, told ANI, "He was the sole earning member of the family. Oh Allah, what have you done?"
Hundreds attended the young man's funeral today. Among them was Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. "What can I say? Our guests had come for holidays. Unfortunately, they have been sent in coffins. This young man (Shah) worked hard to earn a living. He left home for work. Unfortunately, we returned his body in a coffin. But we have heard he did not die just like that. He proved his bravery. He tried to stop the attack, he probably tried to snatch a gun and then was targeted. We will have to take care of his family. I have come to assure them that the administration is with him. We will do what we can," he said.
