Pahalgam Attack: Families' Unending Grief & Unfulfilled Promises One Year On

On the eve of the first anniversary of the attack, in which Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 people, Sangeeta Ganbote, wife of the late Kaustubh Ganbote, said that she remains in grief after her husband's death. Giving out a message, she said, "Nothing is achieved by killing ordinary people."

"The attack in Pahalgam was very dangerous. I will not be able to forget it till my last breath. I am always in grief after my husband's death. I say that they (the attackers) should be given the message that if your fight is with the government, then you should talk to them. Nothing will be achieved by killing ordinary people. Apart from education, schools should also teach how to behave in the event of such an attack," Sangeeta Ganbote told ANI.

As families of the people killed in the Pahalgam attack are still learning to deal with their loss, Priyadarshini Acharya, wife of the late Prasanta Satpathy, remembered how the incident changed her life, taking away the household's breadwinner.

Priyadarshini Acharya told ANI, "My husband's name was late Prasanta Kumar Satapathy. He passed away in the Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025, because of the terrorists. It's been almost a year. As they say, life goes on. But, not a single day has passed that I haven't remembered him. When he was here, life was different. The temporary job I had then, now it's become a necessity for me to survive and manage the household."

She asked the government to provide the government job promised to the families of the victims of the terror attack.

"With the temporary job I have, it's managing. Because at that time, the government said they would give me a government job, they would bear the expenses of my child's education, and they would provide financial assistance. We received the financial assistance, but the government job they promised hasn't been provided yet. In other states, they have provided jobs based on qualifications. I just want the government to fulfil the promises they made as soon as possible," she added.

On April 22, 2025, the nation was shocked as terror struck Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. Pahalgam, known as a tourist spot with scenic beauty, was rendered in blood as Pakistan-backed terrorists entered a village and killed 26 people.

In the cross-border communal attack in Pahalgam, the assailants questioned the victims about their religion before killing them.

As India mourned the deceased, what followed was decisive action by the Indian armed forces in the form of Operation Sindoor. Indian armed forces struck terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

In Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, India successfully destroyed nine major terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), targeting Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen facilities. Indian armed forces killed over 100 terrorists in action.

Pakistan responded with drone attacks and shelling. But inflicted by heavy damage, Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian DGMO and a ceasefire was agreed on May 10.

However, a year after the tragic Pahalgam terror attack, Kashmir is witnessing a noticeable surge in tourist arrivals, reflecting renewed confidence among visitors who feel safe to visit.

Speaking to ANI on Monday, Vishal, a tourist, said, "My father used to live here earlier, and he only suggested that we visit Srinagar... This place is really safe; earlier, there was an unfortunate incident, but we cannot judge a location from that. I felt very safe, and people are also nice."

- ANI