GULMARG: “I am very proud of my son Peerzada Adil Shah, a horse rider who took bullets and laid down his life to save the lives of tourists.” These are the words of the young man’s father, Syed Hyder Shah, as he mourns his death.
Adil, a horse rider, took three bullets when he tried to snatch a rifle from one of the terrorists during the attack on tourists at Pahalgam health resort’s Baisaran meadow, also known as mini Switzerland, on Tuesday.
Twenty-five tourists were also killed in the militant attack, causing massive outrage in J&K and across the country.
“If I am alive today, it is because of the pride that I feel for my son for sacrificing his life to save tourists. He was young and very handsome, and I too would have died after seeing him dead, but the exemplary courage shown by him has given me courage and strength to live on,” said Hyder.
“I am happy that he saved a lot of tourists... he saved men, women and children. Some people have been saved because of him, and I am very proud. It is a very proud moment for me,” he said. Adil was the lone bread earner for the family comprising his parents, two brothers, and two sisters.
The father recalled the last time he saw his son. “He left home on Tuesday morning to work to earn a livelihood for the family. At around 3 pm, we heard that tourists had been attacked at Baisaran. We tried to call him, but his phone was switched off.”
He said that at around 4:30 pm, when they called him again, his phone was on, but nobody was picking up it.
They finally heard the news in the evening. “At 6 pm, we came to know about Adil’s death when another son of mine and his cousin went to a local hospital and were informed about his death. They called me and told me that he had died in the attack,” Hyder said.
He said they want justice, and whosoever has committed this brutal act should be punished. “Those behind the attack should not be spared.”
Adil’s sister Asmat said her brother was very humble and a good human being. “Whatever he used to earn in the day, he fed us in the evening. He was our sole bread earner,” she said, adding terrorists had snatched the family’s only bread earner.
She said her family’s future looks bleak now. “He gave his life to save others. Militants fired three bullets at my brother. What will we do now? Where will we find our loving brother? He used to love us a lot. Whenever he used to go somewhere, he would tell me about it. Who will bring food and eatables for us now,” Asmat said.
Robbed of our sole breadwinner, says sister
Adil’s sister Asmat said her brother was a humble and good human being. “Whatever he used to earn in the day, he fed us in the evening. He was our sole bread earner,” she said, adding terrorists had snatched the family’s only bread earner. She said her family’s future looks bleak. “He gave his life to save others. What will we do now?”
Public support, condolences pour in for hero
People in large numbers are visiting the victim’s home to express their condolences to the family. Thousands of people, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, attended his funeral prayers on Wednesday at his native village in Pahalgam. He is being hailed for the courage he showed in the face of a terrorist attack that mowed down 26 people.