Florida-based tech professional Bitan Adhikari was martyred in the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 this year. On Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee consoled his Kolkata-based parents while inaugurating a Durga Puja in the city.
Parents of Bitan Adhikari, who was killed in the Pahelgam terror attack, were on the same stage with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the inauguration of the Barisha Club Durga Puja. The elderly couple became emotional and were in tears after meeting the chief minister.
Mamata Banerjee held their hands and assured them that she is by their side always. The CM told Adhikari’s parents, “Don’t cry or you will fall sick. It’s true that you have lost one son. But you have so many sons.”
She also instructed the local leaders of Trinamool Congress to keep a check on the elderly.
CM Mamata targets BJP
Mamata Banerjee also targeted the opposition. Without taking names, she attacked the BJP and said, “Some people contacted Bitan Adhikari’s parents and assured to be by their side. But where are they now?”
Bitan Adhikari, a native of Vaishnav Ghata in Patuli, was travelling with his wife Sohini and their young son when terrorists opened fire in Pahalgam on April 22 this year. A soft-spoken man known for his generosity, Bitan worked in a private firm and often spoke of Kashmir as a dream destination. Neighbours remember Bitan as someone who never missed a festival or a community event.
The attack in Pahalgam had claimed lives of 26 civilians—25 Indians and one Nepali national. The West Bengal government has extended all possible support for the last rites and is coordinating efforts to bring back other stranded tourists.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had condemned the attack, calling it a “heinous act of terror” and urged for swift and strong action against the perpetrators. “Terrorism has no religion. We want answers and action,” she had said during a cabinet meeting soon after the attack.