Pallavi, the wife of Manjunath who was killed in the recent terrorist attack targeting tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, opened up about her traumatic ordeal on Tuesday.
She recounted that both she and their 18-year-old son, Abhijeya, faced one of the attackers and pleaded to be killed as well. However, the terrorist reportedly responded that he would not harm them, instructing them instead to “go and tell Modi” about the attack.
Speaking to a prominent Kannada news outlet over the phone, Pallavi said, “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.”
She added, “I was accompanied by my car driver, who is a good person. He told me that Hindus were being targeted. Three others, who kept saying ‘Bismillah’, helped us get to safety. I want my husband’s body to be airlifted. All three of us should return together.”
Sharing the moments after the attack, Pallavi said, “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 continued, “The terrorist replied, ‘Nahin marenge. Tum Modi ko jaake bolo.'”
Describing the situation further, she said the attackers were not in military attire and specifically targeted men, particularly newlywed husbands, while women and others were spared. “Hindus were targeted. There were around 500 tourists present,” she said.
The family had gone on horseback to Baisaran meadow that day. “My son hadn’t eaten anything since morning, so my husband went to get him some bread. At first, we heard gunfire and thought it was the army. Then people started running. I saw my husband lying in a pool of blood. He had been shot in the head. I sat beside his body, unable to react,” Pallavi said.
Now, she only wants to return home to Shivamogga with her husband’s body. “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,” she urged.
The family had arrived in Kashmir on April 19 and was scheduled to return on April 24. Meanwhile, back in Shivamogga, Manjunath’s family is devastated. His mother has not yet been told of his death and has only been informed that he is injured and will return soon.
Manjunath was a realtor by profession, while Pallavi works as a bank manager.
