'Heard gunfire first...still in shock': Wife of Shivamogga man killed in Pahalgam attack recounts horror

Shivamogga: In a tragic incident, realtor from Shivamogga was reportedly shot dead by suspected militants at Phalgam region in Jammu & Kashmir on Tuesday.

DH managed to speak to Pallavi, the wife of Manjunath, who was killed in the attack. She said, "We went to Kashmir on April 19 on a tour. As it is a hilly region, tourists have to hire horses to pass through the valley. We had such a good time all these days and suddenly this tragic accident happened," Pallavi said.

"My son wanted to have some snacks. So, my husband went to a nearby shop to buy it. We heard the sound of gunfire but just thought the police were probably doing some tests in the Valley. But then I saw my husband and he was lying in a pool of blood. The fellow tourists started shouting 'bhago bhago'. I am unable to express my pain. I am in general hospital in Pahalgam."

She further said, "I asked the militants to shoot both of us. He said Modi ji ko batao.(Ask Modi to do it.) I am still in shock and I am unable to overcome it."

Speaking to DH, K V Vasanth Kumar, a chartered accountant, who is also the relative of Manjunath, said, "Pallavi called me and shared the tragic news with me, seeking help. I called MP B Y Raghavendra to make some arrangements to bring the mortal remains of Manjunath to Shivamogga. They were residents of Vijayanagar, Gopala in Shivamogga."

When DH contacted, Shivamogga Deputy Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde said "I and Superintendent of Police G K Mithun Kumar are in constant touch with the authorities in Kashmir. Bringing the mortal remains of Manjunath from the spot to the hospital has turned out be an uphill task. But the efforts are on to bring it back here."

Photo of Manjunath, the unfortunate victim of the terror attack in Kashmir.

As per the latest report, atleast one tourist was killed and more than 12 people are said to be injured, in a terrorist attack earlier today in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.

There are said to be two to three gunmen. They came in combat uniforms and fired indiscriminately on tourists.

The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot, has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.

Indian Army and local police have arrived at the location and are combing the nearby areas to weed out the perpetrators.