Two from Karnataka among those killed in Pahalgam attack; two more feared dead

Shivamogga: A 47-year old realtor from Shivamogga who took his family to Kashmir to celebrate his son’s performance in PU II exam and a Bengaluru resident were among the dead in the terror attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday. 

A top source from Karnataka police told DH that two more from the state are feared dead in the horrific incident.

The wife of Shivamogga resident Manjunath Rao, Pallavi, said they had gone to Kashmir on April 19 on a tour. “As it is a hilly region, tourists have to hire a horse to pass through the valley,” Pallavi, who is employed with the Malnad Areca Marketing Co-operative Society Ltd, (MAMCOS), told DH.

She said the attack happened when Manjunath went to a shop to buy a snack for their son, Abhijay. “We heard gunfire initially. We thought army soldiers could be doing some tests in the valley,” she said. 

Pallavi said terrorists asked Manjunath about his religion and when he replied he was “Hindu”, they shot him dead. “Fellow tourists started shouting ‘bhago bhago’(run, run). I am unable to express my pain,” she said.

“I asked the militants to shoot both of us. But he said Modi ji ko batao.(Ask Modi to do it.) I am still in shock,” she added.

Speaking to DH, K V Vasanth Kumar, chartered accountant, who is also the relative of Manjunath, said on receiving a call from her about the sad news, he “called MP B Y Raghavendra to make some arrangements to bring the mortal remains of Manjunath to Shivamogga”.

Shivamogga Deputy Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde told DH: “Myself and Superintendent of Police G K Mithun Kumar are in constant touch with authorities in Kashmir. Bringing the mortal remains of Manjunath from the spot to the hospital was an uphill task. But efforts are on to bring the remains to Shivamogga.”

DC Hegde also said that Pallavi and her son would be taken to Srinagar on Wednesday and from there would be sent back to Karnataka.

Manjunath’s family is said to be unaware of his death. 

MAMCOS Vice President Mahesh told media-persons that Pallavi called at 3.30 pm and informed them about her husband’s death. “A group of tourists who had left from Sagar are with them. We are also in touch with them,” said Mahesh.

Bengaluru techie killed

A 41-year-old Bengaluru resident, Bharat Bhushan, was also killed in the attack. Bhushan, a techie, was managing the family's own diagnostic centre. He was a resident of Sundara Nagar in Mathikere.

Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya shared news of the death on X and said he had spoken to Bhushan's wife Sujatha who is still in Kashmir with her three-year-old son. 

(With inputs from Bengaluru bureau)