In the tranquil meadows of Baisaran, Pahalgam, what was supposed to be a peaceful family vacation soon turned into a nightmarish ordeal. Debasish Bhattacharyya, Associate Professor at Assam University, was among those who survived the deadly terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
“We were resting under a tree when I heard people murmuring the Kalima. I instinctively joined in,” Bhattacharyya told News18 Assam. “A terrorist in camouflage walked up and shot the man next to me. Then he looked at me and asked, ‘Kya kar rahe ho?’ I just recited the Kalima louder. For some reason, he turned and left.”
That moment of faith—or instinct—may have saved his life.
Grabbing the chance, Bhattacharyya fled with his wife and son, navigating uphill trails and fences for nearly two hours, guided only by hoofprints. “We eventually found a rider and made it back to the hotel. I still can’t believe we’re alive.”
Others weren’t so fortunate. Among the dead were two foreigners and tourists from states across India. According to investigators, the attackers, linked to the Lashkar-backed Resistance Front, planned the ambush meticulously, isolating and executing victims to delay rescue efforts and maximise casualties.
The Indian Army has launched a massive manhunt as Jammu & Kashmir remains on high alert.
Now in Srinagar, Bhattacharyya waits to return home, haunted by what could have been. “I keep thinking—what if I hadn’t spoken? What if he hadn’t walked away?”
