3 Gujarat residents killed in J&K terror attack cremated; CM, ministers meet grieving kin

Ahmedabad: Three Gujarat residents, who were among the 26 persons killed in the terror attack in south Kashmir's Pahalgam town, were cremated at their respective native places on Thursday as local residents joined their funeral processions amid outpouring of grief.

The slain tourists from Gujarat were Yatish Parmar and his son Smit from Bhavnagar city and Shailesh Kalathiya, a resident of Surat. Their last rites were held at their respective native places, hours after the mortal remains were brought to the state from Srinagar on Wednesday night.

Terrorists struck a prime tourist location in Pahalgam in south Kashmir on Tuesday afternoon, killing at least 26 people, mostly travellers from other states.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who reached Bhavnagar on Wednesday night, paid floral tributes to Yatish and Smit Parmar at their residence in the Kaliyabid area before the bodies were taken for cremation on Thursday morning, said an official release.

Patel met Parmar's relatives and expressed grief over the untimely death of the father-son duo. The CM also interacted with Smit Parmar's cousin Sarthak Nathani, who narrated the ordeal and explained how the terror attack took place.

Patel was accompanied by local MP and Union minister Nimuben Bambhaniya, state minister Kunvarjibhai Bavaliya and MLAs from Bhavnagar district Jitu Vaghani, Sejal Pandya and Bhikhabhai Baraiya, among others.

Many local residents joined the funeral procession from Parmar's residence till the crematorium.

Chief Minister Patel has announced his government will pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the three slain tourists from Gujarat.

In Surat, Kalathiya's mortal remains were kept at his cousin's residence in the Mota Varachha area.

Union minister CR Paatil along with Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi were among the dignitaries who paid floral tributes to Kalathiya before his body was taken for cremation in the Abrama area in the morning.

Around 300 people joined the funeral procession from Mota Varachha till the crematorium.