Bullets flying 200 metres behind them, locals rushed Nagpur families to safety

Nagpur: When Praful Deshbhratar and his family began their descent from the picturesque Baisaran, 7km off Pahalgam, they were blissfully unaware that gunmen from Pakistan-based terror group were raining bullets on tourists, 200 metres behind on Tuesday afternoon.

The Deshbhratars, from Murti village in Katol, spent a joyful morning at the lush meadow atop a hill when they nearly came within striking distance of terrorists' bullets. Speaking from a hotel in Srinagar where they are lodged, Praful told TOI, "As we were descending on horseback around 12.30pm, I noticed a bike parked along the forested path. The terrain is too rugged and the road unmotorable. The bike had no rear registration plate and the front plate was painted white. It looked out of place."

He asked the horseman about the motorcycle, who too found it suspicious. "He thought it may belong to a forest official but seemed unsure. That area is accessible only by foot, horse, or helicopter," Praful said.

Then they heard the spine-chilling sounds of gunshots. The horseman immediately sensed something was amiss. "He asked us to leave at once and galloped down towards our waiting vehicle without even asking for his payment of Rs 5,600 for two horses," Praful said. "The driver of our vehicle too drove fast to ensure we reached our resort in Srinagar safely and declined to charge us any fare. We're deeply grateful to both. It felt like divine intervention."

In Srinagar, the Deshbhratar family, including Praful's wife Megha, his brother's family, and their children, was treated with unexpected kindness. The staff at their resort in Indira Nagar extended support much beyond their contractual obligation, providing us all meals and urging the family not to step out amid heightened security alerts.

"There were rumours that 60 to 70 militants carrying RDX had infiltrated Srinagar," Praful said. "We've stayed at four hotels during this trip, and everywhere, local Kashmiris have been generous, cooperative, and warm. Despite the attack, we've never felt unwelcome here."

Following the massacre, Srinagar was fortified by army and police. The family has decided to cut their trip short by two days. They are scheduled to return to Nagpur by flight on Wednesday.

Koradi family too has a narrow escape: Pruthviraj Waghmare from Koradi, who was holidaying with wife Manisha and daughters Shreyasha and Ekta, was some distance away from the spot of the deadly massacre. The Waghmare family was alongside Deshbhratars while being rushed to safety. They too expressed gratitude for the swift assistance provided by locals.

Both Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and former Katol MLA Anil Deshmukh spoke to Deshbhratar and Waghmare families and enquired about their safety. "Both leaders assured us about our safety and offered help. We feel protected here, but the mood is sombre," Praful said. Deshmukh told reporters he submitted all necessary information to the state authorities and urged immediate action to coordinate their safe return home.