HYDERABAD: J Chandramouli, a retired bank employee and resident of Pandurangapuram in Visakhapatnam, was killed in a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
According to reports, Chandramouli was chased and shot while attempting to flee the scene.
Eyewitnesses claimed he pleaded for his life before being gunned down.
His body was later discovered by fellow tourists at the site of the attack. Upon receiving the news, family members departed for Pahalgam from Visakhapatnam.
Following an attack in Pahalgam, that claimed 28 lives and left several injured, security forces have launched intensive search operations to track down the perpetrators.
The attack occurred on Tuesday in the Pahalgam area of Anantnag district, targeting tourists and shaking the region’s fragile peace.
Security has been significantly heightened across the area, with visuals showing deserted streets in the usually vibrant tourist hotspot. In response to the attack, several organisations have called for a Jammu bandh, expressing outrage and mourning.
Amid the tense atmosphere, some tourists have decided to cut their vacations short. Sameer Bhardwaj, a tourist from Delhi, said that he and his group had planned to visit Pahalgam but were now heading back due to the deteriorating situation.
“We have been in Kashmir for the last three days. We had plans for Pahalgam, but since the situation is not good here, we are leaving for Delhi… What happened here is very wrong. Such a thing has happened in Pahalgam for the first time,” Bhardwaj said.
Condemning the attack, National Conference leader Shekh Bashir Ahmad termed it a conspiracy aimed at destabilising the region’s economy. With Jammu and Kashmir heavily dependent on tourism, he said such acts are meant to create fear and halt the flow of visitors.
“This is a conspiracy against Jammu and Kashmir, to derail the economy of the region. There is no religion that advocates violence—this attack on innocent tourists is unacceptable,” Ahmad said. “People had come here for holidays, and they were targeted. The public must understand the larger conspiracy behind this. At a time when the yatra is approaching and tourists are coming in, such acts are clearly meant to disrupt peace and progress.”
In the aftermath of the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an urgent high-level meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and other top officials immediately after returning from Saudi Arabia.
Security forces and police rushed to the site immediately after the attack, along with ambulances to aid the victims.
