Put myself in father's shoes to rescue my mother, says Pahalgam terror attack survivor

Mumbai: After terrorists gunned down his father in Pahalgam, Harshal Lele knew one thing that he had to do: Save his mother and bring her to safety, just what his father would have done.

Five days after the heinous attack in Jammu and Kashmir that left 26 people, most of them tourists, dead, the 20-year-old resident of Dombivli in the neighbouring Thane district continues to relive the moment his life took a turn for the worse in a matter of minutes.

A vacation to Jammu and Kashmir turned tragic for the Leles and their two extended families. Harshal's father, Sanjay Lele (52), Hemant Joshi (45) and Atul Mone (43), who were cousins, died in the April 22 attack.

"We just finished lunch when we heard the gunshots," Harshal recalled.

Harshal sustained a bullet wound during the attack, and one of the bullets brushed past him and hit his father.

"It was my responsibility to save my mother. I put myself in my father's shoes. His first thought would have been to rescue Mom, so I did just that," he said.

The gunmen shot the men in front of their families, and the women and children were left in a lurch, he said.

"My mother suffers from mild paralysis, so she had difficulty walking. My cousin Dhruv Joshi and I lifted her halfway while navigating the rough and uneven terrain. She slipped in places and was hurt, but we had no choice," Harshal recalled.

They finally encountered the horseman who had brought the families to the meadow, and he brought them out by carrying his mother on his back, he said, adding that their journey to safety took more than three hours.

"When we reached the base and saw Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel going up to the meadow, we hoped against hope that my father and uncles would be brought out alive. But that did not happen," he said.

The loss of his father, Sanjay, has left an indelible void for Harshal.

“He would always tell me to think 10 times before doing anything. He would fulfil his commitment no matter what. When the attack was unfolding in front of my eyes, I only thought about what my father would have done in the situation and did that,” he said.

“He used to tell me to remain calm and speak politely in any situation," he said.

Harshal said his accountant father was a cricket enthusiast and would play matches on Sundays.

"He would make me understand problems and situations by giving my analogies from the game. That was our bond," the visibly distraught young man said.

Sanjay Lele's brother-in-law Rajesh Kadam recalls him as a complete family man committed to his loved ones.

"He planned this vacation with the family after 14 years. He handled his wife's illness alone," Kadam said.