5 tourists from Maharashtra killed in Pahalgam terror attack, says Eknath Shinde

Eknath Shinde has urged Union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu to arrange a special flight to Srinagar to evacuate stranded tourists from Maharashtra.

Five tourists from Maharashtra were killed in the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, according to a statement from the office of deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. The attack claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists, and left at least 12 others injured.

A tourist being brought to a medical facility, after terrorists attacked a group of tourists at Pahalgam, in Anantnag district, on Tuesday. (PTI)(HT_PRINT)

The terrorists opened fire at a popular meadow near Pahalgam town in Kashmir on Tuesday afternoon.

Eknath Shinde has urged Union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu to arrange a special flight to evacuate stranded tourists from Maharashtra. Naidu assured Shinde that once the list of stranded individuals is provided, efforts will be made to prioritise their transport to Mumbai.

Follow live updates on Pahalgam terror attack

The statement read, "Five tourists from Maharashtra lost their lives in the recent attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had a phone conversation with Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu regarding arrangements to bring them back to the state. During the conversation, Shinde requested Naidu to arrange a special flight to bring back the tourists from Maharashtra stranded in Jammu and Kashmir. Accepting the request, Naidu assured that once a list of the stranded tourists is provided, arrangements will be made to bring them to Mumbai via a special flight. The DCM's request has been accepted."

The incident, which targeted tourists in the Pahalgam area of Anantnag district, has sparked widespread condemnation across the country from several political leaders.

Who were the victims from Maharashtra?

Three of the five people killed in the Pahalgam terror attack were residents of Dombivli in Maharashtra’s Thane district, according to the district information officer. The victims have been identified as Hemant Joshi, Sanjay Lele, and Atul Mone.

Among them, Atul Mone was a senior section engineer with Indian Railways. The Thane district administration is extending support to the bereaved families and has also issued helpline numbers for residents from the district currently stranded in Kashmir.

Several other tourists from Maharashtra sustained injuries in the attack. The office of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed that one person from Nagpur and another from Pune were among those injured.

The chief minister has assured that the Maharashtra government is committed to helping the affected tourists in every way possible. In a post on X, the CMO shared, "A family from Nagpur was present at the site during the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir. Upon hearing the sound of gunfire, they jumped off the mountain in panic, during which Simran Rupchandani was injured after slipping and suffered a fracture in her leg. Tilak and Garv Rupchandani were also with her. All three are safe. They have been contacted and are being provided with all necessary assistance."

In another update, the CMO posted, “Santosh Jagdale from Pune sustained bullet injuries in the cowardly terrorist attack in Kashmir and is currently undergoing treatment. It has also been reported that his wife was injured. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke to their family members in Pune over the phone and assured them of all possible assistance from the state government.”

Security forces remain on high alert as investigations continue to identify and apprehend those responsible for the attack.

Additional flights from Srinagar to Delhi and Mumbai

Air India and IndiGo have announced they will operate four additional flights from Srinagar to Delhi and Mumbai on Wednesday in response to the prevailing situation.

Air India, in a post on X, said, “In view of the prevailing situation, Air India will operate two additional flights from Srinagar to Delhi and Mumbai on Wednesday, April 23.” The airline added, "All our other flights to and from Srinagar will continue to operate as per schedule." Currently, Air India runs five daily flights between Delhi/Mumbai and Srinagar. It also stated that "the airline is offering complimentary rescheduling and full refunds on cancellations to passengers with confirmed bookings till April 30 on these sectors."

An IndiGo official informed PTI that the airline will also operate two extra flights on the same route. IndiGo, in a statement, said that to assist passengers travelling to or from Srinagar, “it is offering waivers for cancellation or rescheduling, besides adding two flights from Mumbai and Delhi to Srinagar over and above the regular schedule.”

Meanwhile, the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police have launched a search operation in the Baisran area of Pahalgam, Anantnag, to track down the attackers. Delhi Police have also been instructed to maintain heightened vigilance at tourist spots and other key locations.

(With ANI, PTI inputs)