SRINAGAR: In one of the deadliest targeted attacks on civilians in Kashmir in recent years, a brutal ambush near the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam has left 26 people dead and at least 17 others injured. The victims — many of them tourists on pilgrimage or vacation — hailed from 11 states and Nepal, turning a peaceful spring visit into a national tragedy. Authorities have confirmed the identities of the deceased and injured as efforts continue to repatriate the bodies and treat survivors.
Maharashtra suffered the highest toll in the attack, losing six residents: Hemant Suhas Joshi from Mumbai, Atul Shrikant Moni from Dombivli, Sanjay Lakshman Lali from Thane, Dileep Dasali from Panvel, and two others — Santosh Jaghda and Kastuba Ganvotay, both from Pune. Among the injured from the state are Manik Patel Panwel, who sustained minor injuries and is now stable, as well as Balachandru, Harsha Jain, and Nikita Jain, all of whom also suffered minor injuries and are under observation. Among the injured is Sobede Patil, who is being treated for a neck injury.
Gujarat lost three people in the attack — Sumit Parmar and his father, Yatesh Parmar from Bhavnagar, and Shaileshbhai H Himatbhai Kalathia from Surat. Two others from the state were injured: Dohbi Vinobah, who sustained a firearm injury and is currently being treated at Pahalgam Hospital, and Vinay Bai, who suffered a splinter injury in the right upper arm and has been referred to GMC Anantnag.
From Karnataka, three individuals were killed: Manju Nath Rao, Bharat Bhushan from Sunder Nagar in Bengaluru, and Madhusudan Samisetty. Two more from the state were injured — 65-year-old Shashi Kumari Naik, wife of Kumar, suffered a fracture after slipping in the chaos, while Abjaya M Rao sustained minor injuries. Both are reported to be stable.
Uttar Pradesh confirmed the death of Shubham Dwivedi from Sham Nagar in Kanpur City. No injuries have been reported so far among others from the state.
West Bengal reported two fatalities — Bitan Adhikari of Vishnu Kolkata and Sameer Guhar, also from Kolkata. A third person from the state, Shabariguha, suffered a twisted right ankle in the aftermath of the attack and is being monitored in stable condition.
Tamil Nadu was among the states that reported both casualties and injuries. Among the injured are 31-year-old Dr A Parmeshwar, who sustained an abdominal injury, and 83-year-old Santano, who remains unconscious and is admitted at GMC Anantnag. Though Hemant Suhas Joshi is from Tami Mumbai.
Kerala lost N Ramachandra, a resident of Kochi. He was among the 26 confirmed dead in the incident. No injuries have been reported from the state.
Bihar’s only confirmed fatality is Manish Ranjan, a senior Intelligence Bureau officer originally from the state. He had been posted in Hyderabad at the time. No injuries have been linked to Bihar residents so far.
Chandigarh reported the death of Dinesh Agarwal, son of PC Agarwal. His death was confirmed later in the day by hospital sources. No injured persons from Chandigarh have been listed.
Haryana lost Vinay Narwal, a resident of Karnal. The young man had only recently married and was on his honeymoon at the time of the attack. There are no reports of injured persons from Haryana.
Madhya Pradesh lost Sushil Nathyal from Indore. Two others from Indore — Akansha and Jennifer — survived the attack with minor injuries. Akansha is reported to be stable, while Jennifer, though physically unharmed, is being treated for psychological stress following the trauma.
Odisha recorded the death of Prashant Kumar Satpathi from Malashwar. He was among the early victims identified. No injured persons from Odisha have been reported.
Telangana did not report any fatalities, but Jaya Mishra, a resident of Hyderabad, sustained minor injuries and is in stable condition.
Nepal lost one of its citizens, Sudeep Neupane from Batwali Ropandi, in the gunfire. Another Nepali national, Renu Panday, was among the injured. She sustained minor injuries and is under medical care.
From Arunachal Pradesh, the deceased has been identified as Tagehalying, an Air Force employee from Ziro. He was the only fatality reported from the Northeast. No injured persons from the region have been confirmed.
Andhra Pradesh recorded the death J Sachandra Moli from Pandoranguram, Vishakhapatnam. There are no injuries reported from the state.
Chhattisgarh did not report any deaths, but Lakshita Dass from Raipur suffered minor injuries and is being kept under observation.
Jammu and Kashmir itself lost Syed Adil Hussain Shah of Hapatnard in Pahalgam. His death has brought the pain of the attack home to a region long haunted by violence.
Among those killed were serving government officials, young honeymooners, and families from across India, marking a grim day of national mourning.
One of the victims, Manish Ranjan, an Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer posted in Telangana, was on vacation with his family when the attack struck. A native of Bihar, Ranjan is said to have told his wife and children to run in the opposite direction upon hearing gunfire. He was shot dead shortly thereafter. His wife and children escaped unharmed.
In a separate tragedy, 26-year-old Lieutenant Vinay Narwal of the Indian Navy, stationed at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi, was killed along with his wife during their honeymoon. The couple had been married on April 16 and were visiting Kashmir to celebrate. Naval authorities confirmed the officer’s death and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
Corporal Tagehalying, a 30-year-old Indian Air Force personnel from Arunachal Pradesh, was among those killed in the Pahalgam terror attack while holidaying in Kashmir with his wife. A native of Tajang village in Ziro, Hailyang was posted at the IAF base in Srinagar and had taken leave to explore the Valley. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu expressed deep sorrow over his death, calling him a “brave son” of the state whose life was “cruelly taken in a senseless act of terror.” Extending condolences to his family and especially his wife, who survived the attack, Khandu said the corporal’s sacrifice would always be remembered, describing his death as a great loss to both the family and the nation.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has arranged four special flights—two each from Kashmir to Delhi and Mumbai—to facilitate the evacuation of victims and tourists. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu is closely monitoring the situation, coordinating with Home Minister Amit Shah and other authorities to ensure the safety of those affected. Naidu has held urgent meetings with airline operators, issuing strict directions to avoid surge pricing and maintain normal fares. He also assured the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra of full support in transporting the deceased and assisting returning tourists. IndiGo is operating two special flights to Srinagar today, one from Delhi and one from Mumbai, while additional aircraft remain on standby to meet further evacuation needs.
