SRINAGAR: 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.
NDTV reported that Shah was attempting to shield the tourist he had brought to the Baisaran meadow, accessible only on foot, when he was gunned down.
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.
His father, Syed Haider Shah, told ANI, “My son went to Pahalgam yesterday to work, and around 3 pm, we heard about the attack. We called him, but his phone was switched off. Later, at 4.40 pm, his phone turned on, but no one answered. We rushed to the police station, and that’s when we learned that he had been shot in the attack. Whoever is responsible must face the consequences.”
Shah’s funeral was held on Wednesday at around 3 PM and was attended by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. His family remains inconsolable and has appealed for justice. His mother, devastated by the loss, expressed concern for the family’s future.
