Pahalgam Terror Attack: Dombivli Family Was Still Healing From Past Heartbreaks When Tragedy Struck

Mumbai: Among the six from Maharashtra who lost their lives in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam were three men from Dombivali – Sanjay Lele, Hemant Joshi, and Atul Mone, all related to each other. Their mortal remains were brought to their home city on Wednesday evening.

In the attack, the three men were shot dead, while Sanjay Lele’s son Harshal, 20, sustained a bullet wound on his hand. Mone’s wife and daughter were mere 4ft away from him when the terrorist shot him. Harshal, who is stable, stayed strong to communicate with family members back home about the situation in Pahalgam.

Sanjay’s wife, Kavita, 46, had suffered a paralytic attack recently but recovered enough to walk. Therefore, after their son’s final exam last week, they left for an eight-day trip to Pahalgam.

The FPJ spoke with Sanjay Lele’s cousin, Kaushik, who is part of the extended Lele family that has been staying in Dombivali for three generations. “Dada (brother) was a sportsman and was part of a big cricket group. He was a very jolly and kind person with a huge circle of friends. He was the family’s breadwinner. We will have to think about their future now,” said Kaushik, remembering that all cousins made sure to get together during festivals like Ganpati and Diwali.

The pain for the Lele family has grown, as memories resurface of Sanjay’s heartbreak during the COVID pandemic, when he lost his father and was unable to perform the last rites due to restrictions. “He wept before us, saying how helpless he felt. And today, fate has been cruel again,” his neighbour said.

Sanjay’s sudden demise has left the family devastated, with his sister still struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. Sanjay’s cousin Atul worked in the railways and is survived by his wife and daughter, who just finished her Class X exam. His brother Amol, who resides in Vangani, reached Dombivali on hearing the news of his demise. This was the family’s second trip to Kashmir; they had vacationed there two years ago as well.

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