Tears in their eyes but smile on their faces, because their loss is irreparable but India has partially avenged their horror and pain. The vermilion from their foreheads was erased by a group of Pakistan-backed terrorists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22. And on Wednesday after India successfully conducted Operation Sindoor, Indian women who lost their husbands in the Pahalgam terror attack, have responded to the military action.
It is as if to avenge the removal of that vermilion or sindoor from the forehead of its daughters, India launched “Operation Sindoor” early on May 7, Wednesday. In a series of precision strikes carried out overnight early on Wednesday to nine targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) Indian Army reportedly left over 80 terrorists dead. The strikes were named ‘ Operation Sindoor’, the red vermilion traditionally worn by married Hindu women.
Go tell Modi: Terrorist to Pahalgam victim’s wife
Pallavi Rao was on vacation with her husband Manjunath Rao and son Abhijay, when she witnessed her husband being shot in the head while buying snacks for their son.
“We are not killing you, go inform Modi,” was a statement given by one of the terrorists to Pallavi, the wife of Manjunath, a resident of Karnataka’s Shivamogga minutes after shooting the latter dead right in front of her eyes. According to Pallavi, the attackers seemed to be targeting only the Hindus.
“Three to four people attacked us. I told them – kill me too, you’ve already killed my husband. One of them said, ‘I won’t kill you. Go tell this to Modi’,” Pallavi had recounted.
Befitting reply: Pragati Jagdale
“It’s a befitting reply after the way those terrorists erased the vermilion of our daughters. On hearing the name of this operation, I got tears in my eyes. I sincerely thank the government. Modi ji has shown Pakistan that we will not sit quietly. I feel, with Operation Sindoor, PM Modi will end terrorism,” Pragati Jagdale, widow of Santosh Jagdale told news agency ANI.
Reacting to the name Operation Sindoor, Asavari Jagdale, daughter of Pune’s Santosh Jagdale who was killed in front of her eyes, said, “I cried a lot hearing the name of the operation. It is a real tribute and justice to those who were killed by terrorists.” Her father, Santosh Jagdale, 54, was asked to recite an Islamic verse by terrorists, and when he failed, they shot him thrice in the head, behind the ear, and back.
I thank government for taking revenge for my husband’s death: Ashanya Dwivedi
“I thank the government for taking revenge for my husband’s death. This is the beginning of revenge. I know that Modi ji won’t stop till he wipes them (terrorists) off completely. He has given us this much belief that all the terror spots will be destroyed. By naming this strike as ‘Operation Sindoor’, he has shown that we have taken the revenge being sought by us,” Ashanya Dwivedi, wife of Shubham Dwivedi, who was shot dead in the Pahalgam terror attack, told PTI.
We were waiting for PM Modi to take such action: Sangita Ganbote
Sangita Ganbote, wife of Kaustubh Ganbote who was killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, told ANI, “The action taken by the military is good, and by naming it as Operation Sindoor, they have respected the women. I still cry some days. We were waiting for PM Modi to take such action, and he has given them a befitting reply. Terrorists should be eliminated.”
Pahalgam massacre: Women whose husbands were shot dead by terrorists
Many others were also left widowed in the terrorist attacks of April 22 in Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Himanshi Narwal, just 24, had been married for six days when her husband Vinay Narwal, a Navy officer, was gunned down during their honeymoon.
Shital Kalathiya lost her husband Shailesh while on holiday with their two children. Sohini Adhikari witnessed her husband Bitan Adhikari being shot in front of their three-year-old son.
Kajalben Parmar saw her husband Yatishbhai killed. Sheela Ramachandran who was in Kochi due to ill health, was informed on April 22 that her husband N Ramachandran had been killed in front of their grandchildren.
Jennifer Nathaniel watched her husband Sushil die shielding her, and Jaya Mishra saw her husband Manish Ranjan Mishra, an IB officer, being gunned down in front of their children.
