“We Didn’t Look Back”: Maharashtra Couple Recounts Harrowing Escape From Pahalgam Terror Attack

Escaping death by just 20 minutes, a Nagpur-based family recalls chaos and fear during the deadly terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir that left 26 civilians dead.

Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir | April 22, 2025 –
A couple from Maharashtra has shared a harrowing account of narrowly escaping the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives—marking one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in the valley in recent years.

The family from Nagpur was visiting Pahalgam with their young son when gunmen opened fire on a crowd of tourists at Baisaran Valley. The man, who declined to be named, said they had just left the site when the attack began.

Also Read: PM Modi Holds Emergency Briefing in Delhi After Pahalgam Terror Attack

“We were 20 minutes away from the actual spot. We heard the gunshots and people screaming. We didn’t look back. We just ran,” he told ANI, describing how panic spread through the area.

With his wife and son by his side, the father said his only concern was to get them to safety. His wife suffered a leg fracture in the stampede as hundreds tried to flee through a narrow exit just four feet wide.

Also Read: Newlywed Shubham Dwivedi Among Victims of Pahalgam Terror Attack; Grief Spreads Across India

Lying on a hospital bed, the woman recalled,

“People shouted, ‘Firing ho rahi hai!’ and everyone began running. People from behind were pushing forward. There were children too—it was chaos.”

A local tour guide named Waheed told AFP that he helped carry wounded tourists away from the scene on horseback.

“I saw a few men lying on the ground, not moving. They looked like they were dead,” he said.

Nation Reacts

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, condemned the attack in strong terms.

Also Read: Global Condemnation Pours In After Pahalgam Attack Kills 26 Tourists

“Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice,” he wrote on X, pledging full support to the victims’ families and calling the incident “an act of pure evil.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah was immediately dispatched to Srinagar, where he chaired a high-level security review.

“We will come down heavily on the perpetrators,” Shah said.

Jammu & Kashmir’s former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the massacre, calling it “an abomination.”

“This is the largest and most horrifying attack on civilians in recent years,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi said the killings were “heartbreaking” and urged the government to ensure accountability.

“The entire country stands united against terrorism,” his statement read.

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Pahalgam terror attack, Maharashtra couple, Jammu Kashmir violence, Baisaran Valley shooting, Nagpur family Kashmir, PM Modi Kashmir, Amit Shah J&K visit, Rahul Gandhi statement, Omar Abdullah, terror attack survivors