SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday attended the funeral of a local horseman, Adil, who was killed while attempting to protect tourists during the deadly attack.
“Adil was not just earning his daily wages by ferrying tourists on horseback, he put his life on the line to save them. He even tried to wrestle a weapon from the attackers. That’s why he was targeted,” Omar while talking to media person in Hapatnard, said.
“Our guests came here to witness the beauty of Kashmir, but tragically, they are being sent back in coffins. This is not just heartbreaking, it is deeply shameful for all of us.”
Omar Abdullah visited Syed Adil Hussain Shah’s residence in Pahalgam and joined a large gathering of mourners in his funeral prayers. Moved by the family’s loss, he said the government would extend full support to them.
“This family has lost its only earning hand. We are with them in this hour of grief. Whatever assistance is possible financial or otherwise, we will provide,” Abdullah added.
The Chief Minister along with hundreds of people attended the funeral of Adil in Pahalgam this afternoon.
Pertinently, a local pony ride operator, Syed Adil Hussain Shah, was shot dead while trying to snatch a rifle from one of the attackers during Tuesday’s deadly attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists.
Shah was attempting to shield the tourist he had brought to the Baisaran meadow, accessible only on foot, when he was gunned down. He was ferrying tourists from the car parking lot towards the spot, when the incident unfolded.
The 27-year-old, from the Hapatnaad area of Pahalgam, was the only local killed in the incident. Shah, a labourer who ferried tourists on horseback, was the sole breadwinner for his family, which includes his wife, children, and elderly parents.
