Daughter of Ramachandran killed in Pahalgam terror attack narrates harrowing ordeal

KOCHI: Arathy, daughter of Ramachandran killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, narrates her harrowing ordeal. He was shot in front of me. She said that she ran from there with her children after the incident.

‘There were a lot of tourists. We were in Mini Switzerland. There are many activities like the zipline there. I heard a sound suddenly. I didn’t know that it was a gunshot. I heard the sound again and then realized that it was a terrorist attack. My mother was not with me. I ran with my father and children from there. It was forest all around. Many were running in different directions. In the meantime, a terrorist came. He asked everyone to lie down. He was asking something and then was seen shooting. We couldn't hear what he was asking. He came towards me and my father. He didn't ask a sentence; he asked just one word. He asked only twice. Told him in Hindi that we didn't understand. Shot my father in front of me. I was then hugging my father and crying.

My children were crying and told me amma let's move on. I understood that my father could no longer be saved. He was dead on the spot. I ran through the paths in the forest following the footsteps of the horse along with my children without panicking . People coming from many places reached a place. After 45 minutes, my phone started receiving a signal. I called my driver, a Kashmiri. He informed everyone and within seven minutes, the military and locals were running upwards.

When I cried hugging my father, he touched my head with a gun. I don't know whether it was to shoot or to threaten me. He may have left because the children were crying. The person who came near me was not in military uniform.

The incident happened on top of the mountains. When asked where the attack took place, I said that my father is dead. Called me for identification at night. The Kashmir government, Kerala Government, central government and the locals all helped a lot.

I was running around calling people and telling them about the terrorist attack. Then my driver and another person from Kashmir were with me like my younger brother and elder brother. I was in front of the morgue till 3 am. When I said goodbye yesterday, I told them that I had found two brothers in Kashmir.

I had told everyone not to tell my mother about the incident. The TV connection in the hotel was removed. I told my mother that father sustained injuries and needed treatment. I informed my mother only after I reached here last night,’ said Aarathy.