Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah rushes minister to Kashmir to ensure safe return of Kannadigas

Minister Santosh Lad has been tasked with overseeing relief and rescue operations and ensuring the safe return of Kannadigas stranded in the region.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday directed Labour Minister Santosh Lad to immediately travel to Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, where a deadly terror attack claimed 26 lives, including at least two from Karnataka.

Reacting to the incident, CM Siddaramaiah expressed deep grief over the loss of lives.

The minister has been tasked with overseeing relief and rescue operations and ensuring the safe return of Kannadigas stranded in the region, news agency PTI reported.

The attack, which occurred in a popular meadow near Pahalgam town, is the deadliest in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike. Officials confirmed that 26 people, including tourists and locals, were killed.

Among the victims were two foreigners, one from the UAE and another from Nepal, and two locals, a senior official said according to the report.

Reacting to the incident, Siddaramaiah expressed deep grief over the loss of lives. “The increasing number of deaths in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam today has increased concern. My heart aches when I think of the innocent lives lost,” he posted on ‘X’.

He added that the state government would extend full support to affected families and ensure the safe return of survivors.

A team of senior officials from Karnataka was dispatched to Kashmir on Tuesday evening to aid in evacuation efforts. "Realising that more assistance is needed from our government in this regard, I have instructed Labour Minister Santosh Lad to go to Kashmir and oversee the entire operation," Siddaramaiah said.

Among the victims was Bharath Bhushan, a resident of Mattikere in Bengaluru, who was on vacation with his wife Sujatha and their three-year-old son. He was shot dead at close range, while his wife and child miraculously escaped unharmed.

Another victim from the state was Manjunath Rao, a realtor from Shivamogga, who was killed while on a trip with his family. Both families were travelling separately when the attack occurred.