“Pallavi, a tourist from Shivamogga, Karnataka, shared her traumatic experience of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, during which terrorists tragically killed her husband, Manjunath.” Pallavi and her 18-year-old son directly confronted the assailant, pleading with him to kill them alongside Manjunath. However, the terrorist reportedly told them that he would not harm them and instead instructed them to inform Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the attack. However, the terrorist reportedly spared them, instructing them to inform Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the attack.
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Speaking to a Kannada media outlet, Pallavi expressed her disbelief and grief, stating, “We are in Pahalgam, and my husband died right in front of me. I couldn’t cry or react — I couldn’t even comprehend what had just happened. I had come here with my husband Manjunath and our son Abhijeya from Karnataka’s Shivamogga.”
The attack, which occurred during a family vacation to celebrate their son’s academic success, has left the community in mourning and raised concerns about the safety of tourists in the region.
Pallavi’s Ordeal: “Driver Warned of Terror Targeting Hindus, Strangers Chanting ‘Bismillah’ Helped Us Escape”
“I was accompanied by my car driver, who is a good person. “Pallavi’s driver told her that terrorists were targeting Hindus during the Pahalgam attack.” Three others, who kept saying ‘Bismillah’, helped us get to safety. Pallavi requested authorities to airlift her husband’s body. All three of us should return together,” she added.
“I noticed that there were three to four attackers. After my husband was killed, I faced one of the terrorists and said, ‘Mere pati ko mara hai na, mujhe bhi maaro’. My son also confronted him and said, ‘Kutte, mere papa ko maara, humein bhi maar daalo’ ,” she recounted.
“The terrorist replied, ‘Nahin marenge. Tum Modi ko jaake bolo’ (I won’t kill you. Go and tell Modi),” Pallavi said.
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Describing the scene further, she said, “The terrorists were right in front of us. They were not in army uniforms. Almost all the men were targeted. There were many newlywed couples, and in most cases, only the husbands were attacked while women and others were spared. Hindus were targeted. There were around 500 tourists present.”
“We had gone there on horseback. My son had not eaten anything since morning, so my husband went to get him some bread. At first, we heard gunfire and thought the army had fired a shot. Then people started running. I saw my husband had already collapsed and was lying in a pool of blood. He had been shot in the head, sat beside his body, unable to react,” she added.
“I want to return to my hometown, Shivamogga, but not alone. I will return only with my husband’s body. All three of us must come back together. I request the authorities to make the necessary arrangements,” Pallavi said.
Manjunath was a realtor, and his wife Pallavi is a bank manager.
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