In a horrifying terror attack that shook Kashmir’s picturesque Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, Pakistan-based terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists on Tuesday, killing 26 people and injuring several others. Among the deceased were three individuals from West Bengal, including an Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer posted in Hyderabad.
Victims Identified: Bengal Mourns Its Lost Sons
The three victims from West Bengal have been identified as Samir Guha, Bitan Adhikari, and Manish Ranjan. Guha and Adhikari hailed from Kolkata, while Ranjan, originally from Jhalda in Purulia district, was serving with the IB in Hyderabad.
Adhikari, a 40-year-old tech professional based in Florida, was in Kolkata on vacation and had embarked on a family trip to Kashmir on April 16 with his wife Sohini and three-year-old son. They were scheduled to return home on April 24.
Ranjan, the IB officer, had also gone to Kashmir with his family. His sudden death has cast a shadow of mourning over his hometown, Jhalda, where his elderly parents were informed of the tragedy by local authorities.
Devastated Families Recall Their Last Conversations
Dipak Adhikari, Bitan’s brother, shared the pain of hearing the news shortly after speaking to Bitan on Tuesday morning. “He had invited me to join them on the trip. I declined and even advised them against pony rides in the hills,” he recalled with a heavy heart. “What will I tell Bitan’s son now? He’s just a child. We are all shattered.”
Samir Guha, a central government employee, had also travelled to Kashmir on April 16 with his wife and daughter. The family was to return on April 23. Guha’s brother-in-law, Subrata, said the two survivors are in shock. “My sister and niece were unharmed, but they are traumatised. I just want them back home safe,” he said.
According to Subrata, their driver Md Iqbal took the family to his home after the attack, offering them shelter and support before help arrived.
State Government Steps In: Mamata Banerjee Assures All Assistance
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed deep sorrow over the incident and assured full support to the bereaved families. She personally spoke to Sohini Adhikari and later posted on X:
“One of the victims, Sri Bitan Adhikari, is from West Bengal. I had spoken to his wife over the phone. Though no words are enough to console her in this hour of grief, I have assured her that my government is taking all steps to bring back his mortal remains to his house at Kolkata.”
State Minister Arup Biswas also visited Adhikari’s residence in Baishnabghata to offer condolences and oversee arrangements being made for the family’s return.
A Nation in Mourning, a Homeland Under Threat
The attack, which has left the nation in shock, raises fresh concerns about the safety of tourists and the continuing threat of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Security has been heightened in the region, and investigations are underway to identify and neutralise those behind the attack.
As Kashmir reels from yet another episode of senseless violence, the grief of the families in Kolkata and Purulia underscores the far-reaching pain inflicted by terrorism,a pain that transcends geography and speaks to the human cost of conflict.
