"We were just 1 to 1.5 kilometres away from where the Pahalgam terrorist attack took place. One call from a family member saved our lives," said Jyoti Zurange, a resident of Pune's Uruli Kanchan, who was on a tour to Kashmir with a group of 71 people and returned to the city on Friday, told The Free Press Journal.
Zurange said, "Six members of our family were just 100-200 meters away from the spot, and we were heading in that direction. Meanwhile, firing started. My sister-in-law made a call and alerted us not to visit the spot. Accordingly, we returned to a hotel. Post the terror attack, local people helped us without any charge."
'Kashmiri people are good and supportive'
Rohini Gaikwad, a resident of Katraj, who was also on the tour, thanked the government. "A free flight was arranged for us. Thanks to the civil aviation ministry and the government. Such incidents should not be repeated— the government needs to take strong action against terrorism," she said. When asked about the people in the valley, she said, "Kashmiri people are good and supportive. People need to change their mindset."
'It was horrifying and unforgettable'
Chhaya Patil, who was leading the tour, highlighted, "We were about to visit Pahalgam two days after the attack took place. As the incident came to light, the officials did not allow us to move and ordered us to stay where we were. Tourists were in fear. It was a very tough time because, post the incident, everyone was returning to Srinagar to get back to their homes. It was too horrifying and unforgettable."
Azan Dar, a travel agent from Pahalgam, speaking to this newspaper, said that sending the tourists home was their first priority after the attack. "I have been working here for the last six years. The terrorists have defamed all the Kashmiri people," he added.
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