'Saved Because We Knew Kalima': Assam Family Recites Islamic Creed To Survive Pahalgam Terror Attack
Guwahati, April 23: A Bengali family from Silchar’s Barak Valley in Assam had a narrow escape during the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Black Tuesday, which claimed the lives of 28 tourists, including two foreigners.
Recounting their experience to Barak Bulletin, the family members — Debashish Bhattacharya, Professor at the Department of Bengali in Assam University, Silchar, and Dr. Madhumita Das Bhattacharya — said they were in close proximity to the site when the attack unfolded. Initially mistaking the sound of gunfire for hunters using pellet guns, they later realised the gravity of the situation and took shelter behind trees and bushes.
In a chilling turn of events, the armed assailants reportedly confronted the family at gunpoint, demanding they recite the Kalima, an Islamic declaration of faith. The family believes that their knowledge of the Kalima, gained from growing up in a Muslim-majority neighbourhood, may have saved their lives. One member of the group stated they were also asked whether they chanted the name of Lord Ram.
The family of three, who had arrived at the site earlier in the day as part of a tourist trip, managed to survive the harrowing ordeal and are now en route to safety.
Among the survivors was Professor Debashish Bhattacharya, head of the Bengali Department at Assam University, Silchar, who recounted the harrowing ordeal that unfolded before his eyes.
“We had included Baisaran in our holiday itinerary. Never did we imagine it would become the site of such horror,” said Bhattacharya, still visibly shaken.
Recounting the chilling moments, he said the first sound of gunfire was mistaken for forest officials trying to scare off monkeys.
“But very quickly, we realised something was terribly wrong. We ducked behind a tree. One man nearby seemed confused, frozen in place; moments later, a gunman with a covered face approached him and shot him dead in cold blood. The incident was so close, some blood even splattered onto my shirt,” Bhattacharya shared.
What followed was a terrifying brush with the assailants. “One of them came very close and asked me what I was murmuring. I had been whispering ‘la ilaha illallah’ (the Kalima) under my breath. But miraculously, he turned away,” he recalled.
For the next two hours, Bhattacharya and his family scrambled to find a way out, eventually managing to reach their driver and flee the area. They later reached Srinagar safely.
Tuesday’s attack — the deadliest in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama bombing — saw multiple terrorists, believed to be members of The Resistance Front (TRF), open fire on tourists at the scenic Baisaran meadow.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers, wearing camouflage and Indian Army fatigues, emerged from nearby pine forests and began firing indiscriminately.
Victims hailed from several states, including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu.
At least 20 others were injured, many of them severely traumatised. Survivors described scenes of chaos, with families scattered, children crying, and tourists running for cover through dense woods.
Intelligence sources have identified the attackers as belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba's offshoot, The Resistance Front, with the operation reportedly masterminded by top LeT commander Saifullah Kasuri.
A manhunt has been launched, with helicopters deployed and ground forces combing the surrounding forests.
The family recounted witnessing another tourist being killed on the spot for failing to recite the Kalima, describing the scene as horrifying and traumatic. Following the confrontation, they crawled down the valley, eventually reaching a road where they secured a vehicle to flee to Srinagar.
While a lesser-known group named “Kashmir Resistance” has claimed responsibility for the attack, the authenticity of the claim remains unverified.
Speaking to FPJ, Cachar Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta confirmed that he spoke to the family, who are currently safe at a hotel in Srinagar, and that they have preponed their return tickets. The SP also mentioned that he had contacted his counterpart in Jammu & Kashmir to ensure their safety.
He assured that both Assam Police and Cachar Police are fully prepared to facilitate the family’s safe return to Silchar, offering all necessary support.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the region, and authorities remain on high alert as efforts continue to ensure the safe passage of survivors back to their homes.
Meanwhile, the Assam Chief Minister’s Office, earlier today, confirmed it is coordinating the return of a state resident who survived Tuesday’s terror attack near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The entire family’s return to the State is being arranged on priority,” the CMO said in a statement, adding that it is working closely with the central government to ensure their safe return.
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