‘30-minute delay saved our lives’: 28 tourists from Kolhapur, Sangli escape Pahalgam terror attack
The group, which included men, women, and children, had planned to visit the scenic Betaab Valley on the day of the terrorist attack and had booked the horses
A group of 28 tourists from Kolhapur and Sangli narrowly escaped the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday in which 26 tourists were killed —thanks to a delay in their scheduled horse rides.
The group, which included men, women, and children, had planned to visit the scenic Betaab Valley on the day of the terrorist attack (April 22) and had booked horses for the trip. However, due to a rush of tourists, the horses arrived late by 30 minutes, preventing them from reaching the valley at the scheduled time.
“If the horses had come on time, we would have been at the exact spot when the attack took place,” said Aniket Kurane, one of the tourists. But we’re deeply saddened by what happened, he added.
The tourists included Megha Kurane, Anamika Jadhav, Apurva Jadhav, Sagar Jadhav, Sonali Jadhav, Mayuri Shinde, Suvarna, Vaibhav, Rajshree, Harshal, Ashwini, Aniket, Anuradha, Rohan, Sangita, Prathamesh among others.
On the day of the incident, the group had reached the outskirts of Pahalgam and was waiting for horses when they were informed about the terror attack by their tour operator. The trip was immediately cancelled, and the group decided to cut short their Kashmir visit.
“We were saved by fate,” said another member of the group. “The realization that we were so close to danger is terrifying. Our prayers are with those who were killed or injured,” he added.
Back home in Kolhapur and Sangli, news of the attack sent shockwaves through the families of the tourists.
“We couldn’t believe it when we found out they were supposed to be there. It’s nothing short of a miracle,” said a local resident in Kolhapur
What was meant to be a joyful vacation has turned into an unforgettable brush with tragedy for many.
