ANI
Karnataka’s Minister for Labour, Santosh Lad, arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday to oversee the arrangements for the return of the mortal remains of Manjunath Rao, a resident of Shivamogga, who tragically lost his life in the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
According to official sources, Lad departed from Hubballi airport on Tuesday night, following instructions from the state government to expedite the process and assist the grieving family.
Manjunath Rao had been visiting Jammu and Kashmir with his family as part of a package tour that began eight days ago. He was killed when terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists in Pahalgam. The attack has left his hometown of Shivamogga in deep mourning, with preparations underway for his funeral rites.
Speaking to ANI, Manjunath’s maternal uncle, Madhav Murthy, recounted the tragic incident.
“Manjunath is a relative. His son had scored 98% in his second PU exams, which is why he took his family on a trip to Jammu and Kashmir. Shivamogga MP, MLA, and several others, including RSS leaders, are working tirelessly to bring his mortal remains back. They were on a package tour when they stopped to eat panipuri, and that’s when the terrorists attacked. The attackers told his wife and son, ‘Go and tell this to Modiji’. It is heartbreaking to lose anyone in such an attack,” he said.
In a show of solidarity, Karnataka Minister Madhu Bangarappa also visited the family’s residence in Shivamogga to offer condolences.
“This is an extremely unfortunate incident, and it was entirely unexpected. Our minister is already in Srinagar, coordinating efforts. The state government is handling the matter with full care and responsibility,” said Bangarappa.
The terrorist attack has left families across the country desperately searching for their loved ones.
A relative from Nagpur shared, “My younger brother went there for the holidays. We received the news via television. We have been trying to contact him, but we have been unable to reach him. We are still attempting to get in touch.”
Among the victims was also Shubham Dwivedi, a resident of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, who was in Pahalgam with his wife. His cousin, Saurabh Dwivedi, said, “Shubham Bhaiya got married on February 12 this year and had gone to Pahalgam for his honeymoon. My sister-in-law informed my uncle that Shubham was shot in the head. Reports suggest that the terrorists asked for their names before opening fire. We have been told that the body will be released after 2-3 days once all procedures are completed.”
Another victim was Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, an Indian Navy officer stationed in Kochi. Narwal, who had recently married on April 16, was also killed in the attack. A neighbor recalled, “Just four days ago, there was a reception to celebrate his wedding. Now, we are devastated to hear that he has been killed by terrorists.”
In response to the attack, security forces have launched search operations to apprehend the terrorists responsible.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and other senior officials shortly after returning to Delhi from Saudi Arabia, to review the situation and discuss further actions.
