Pahalgam attack: Purulia IB officer tried to save at least 10 tourists, says widow
The Statesman | 1 May 2025
Slain central Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Manish Ranjan Mishra of Jhalda in Purulia was killed while trying to push at least a dozen tourists to safe places while the terrorists were spraying bullets indiscriminately in Pahalgam in Kashmir, said his widow Jaya Mishra.
Jaya Mishra, who is losing consciousness regularly and underwent treatment at the nearby primary hospital, was being administered saline as she had stopped eating after her husband’s killing.
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Manish Ranjan Mishra was posted at Central Intelligence Branch in Hyderabad after being transferred from Ranchi branch recently and went to Pahalagam for a vacation with his wife and two kids.
Family sources said that due to her critical health conditions, the team of National Investigation Agency (NIA), which was scheduled to visit yesterday at his home, has postponed the visit. The NIA team will come from Ranchi and the family plans to admit her to a hospital in Ranchi for treatment after their visit.
Jaya Mishra is being consoled by her elder son, twelve-year old Samriddha.
Jaya Mishra has told the family that she took shelter in the woods along with her two children when the terrorists sprayed bullets into her husband. Hearing the sound of automatic rifle fire the IB officer was quick to understand the situation and tried to save as many tourists by sending them to safer places.
At least 10-12 tourists have been saved by him, he could have easily escaped unhurt but the terrorists noticed him trying to save others rushed in and fired at him, she said.
A Jhalda based eminent corporate sector has come ahead to take responsibility of education of the martyred children of the slain IB officer and has also offered a post of teacher in its school nearby, to his widow.
The Union home ministry has handed over the Pahalagam terror attack case to NIA for investigations and the agency has been visiting the houses of all the 26 deceased tourists and talking to their relatives to get more details of the incident.