The devastating massacre that took place last Tuesday in the Pahalgam area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district has shocked the entire nation.
Many tourists from Hooghly district, currently visiting the picturesque resort town of Pahalgam, are stranded amid the ongoing chaos following the massacre. Several are confined to hotels or staying with relatives. Their families back in Hooghly are deeply anxious about their safe return.
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Chanchal Dey, a resident of Kewta in Hooghly and a teacher by profession, set out for Kashmir with his wife and son on the 16 April. They were joined by nine others, including friends and acquaintances, and were scheduled to return on the 28th.
On Tuesday, they were staying at a hotel 16 km from the site of the incident in Pahalgam. Out sightseeing, they were alarmed to see a large number of ambulances speeding past. The roads had been cordoned off by Army personnel, and all vehicles were being thoroughly checked. Severe road congestion brought traffic to a complete standstill. As news of the massacre spread, panic set in—many tourists fell ill due to shock and fear. All were stuck for hours without access to food or water.
The family of Jayanta Sammadar, residing in Simlagarh, Pandua, is also deeply worried. Jayanta, along with his wife and daughter, had travelled to Kashmir on the 16th, accompanied by Suman Mondal, his wife, and two sons—all from the same locality. They recounted that on Tuesday they were in Pahalgam and narrowly escaped the attack. Panicked and traumatised, they relayed the horrifying experience to their families back home. At present, they are confined within their hotel, with all shops closed and vehicular movement halted. The Indian Army is patrolling the area constantly. “We have no idea when the situation will normalise so that we can plan our return journey,” they said.
The stranded tourists from Hooghly district in the Pahalgam area of South Kashmir have issued appeals to concerned government authorities for immediate intervention to ensure their safe return.