'Was Cluless for 20 Seconds, Then Saw 5-6 People Were Shot Dead': Tourist On Zipline
Recording adventurous moments has become common for travelers, allowing them to relive those experiences for years. The same was true for Rishi Bhatt, a resident of Ahmedabad, who decided to film himself while enjoying a zipline ride in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam. However, he had no idea that his camera would end up capturing something horrific.
During the ride on April 22, a terrorist attack unfolded in the valley, leaving 26 people dead and several others injured. Bhatt, who was on the zipline with his family nearby, inadvertently recorded the harrowing moments as gunfire erupted around them.
Speaking about the terrifying experience, Bhatt recounted, "The firing started when I was on the zipline. Around four to five rounds of bullets were fired. For the first 20 seconds, I didn’t realize what had happened — I was in my own world on the zipline. Then I got to know that bullets were fired here and people were dying on the ground. I saw at least five to six people had been hit. It was only after about 20 seconds that I realized this was a terrorist attack."
Bhatt also mentioned a chilling detail involving a zipline worker. "The man said ‘Allah Hu Akbar, Allah Hu Akbar’ three times, and then the firing started. My son and my wife were on the ground and were shouting. As I got closer to the ground, I opened the belt, jumped off, and ran away with my wife and son," he said.
According to Bhatt, at least 15 to 16 tourists were shot during the attack. He expressed deep gratitude toward the Indian Army for their swift and decisive action. "The Army covered the tourists in no time. In half an hour, they arranged ambulances and other vehicles, and secured everything within 30 minutes," he said.
Reflecting on the tragedy, Bhatt added, "Kashmir is heaven; we must visit there. But it can also feel like hell — you never know when you might die."
The Video Of Zipline Ride
The video taken by Bhatt for fun during his zipline ride has since surfaced online, showing tourists running frantically across the picturesque valley, with sounds of gunfire ringing in the background. In the footage, at least one person is seen falling to the ground.
Bhatt, who runs an event and wedding management business, had planned a family holiday in Kashmir from April 16 to April 27 along with his wife, Bhakti (35), and son, Preet (11). However, shaken by the attack, they decided to cut short their trip and return home.
In response to these attacks, all the intelligence units of India are working simultaneously with the Army and have arrested multiple local terrorists and eliminated a high profile commander of LeT in the valley.
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