‘Went to See Mini-Switzerland’: Wife Recounts Horror as Karnataka Man Shot Dead by Terrorists in Pahalgam

Pahalgam terror attack: What began as a family’s vacation to the Kashmir Valley turned into a nightmare on Tuesday when a 47-year-old real estate businessman from Shivamogga was gunned down by terrorists in Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

Manjunath Rao, a resident of Vijayanagar in Shivamogga, Karnataka, was on a trip to Kashmir with his wife, Pallavi, and their young son Abhijey.  

On April 22, they had travelled to “Mini Switzerland,” a scenic plateau near Pahalgam, accessible only by a horse ride. Minutes after reaching the site, their holiday took a tragic turn.

Speaking to R Kannada, Pallavi recounted the horrific sequence of events. “We went to a spot called Mini Switzerland. We took a horse ride to reach there. We had just reached the spot in the last five minutes,” she said, her voice trembling. The family, when tired from the journey, decided to grab a quick bite. “We wanted to eat something. My husband went to the snacks stall,” she continued.

That’s when the gunfire erupted.

“My son and I heard gunshots. We thought it was the army doing some routine firing drills. But when we ran to the stall, we saw my husband lying on the floor. He had been shot,” Pallavi said, describing the horrifying moment she realised they were under attack.

Pallavi said there were more tourists from Karnataka at the site when the attack took place. “There were more people from Karnataka with us,” she noted, adding that locals in the area stepped in to help.

Manjunath’s wife and son were quickly rescued and moved to safety by bystanders and security forces.

The attack has drawn nationwide condemnation, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowing stern action. “They won’t be spared,” the Prime Minister said, asserting that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.

"I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected. Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice...they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger", PM Modi tweeted.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has left his residence  to visit Srinagar for a high-level security review meeting following the deadly terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam.