AHMEDABAD: Rishi Bhatt, a resident of Ahmedabad, was vacationing in the Valley with his wife and 11-year-old son since April 15, 2025. The family arrived in Pahalgam on April 22, the day gunmen fired at tourists and killed 26 people.
A video of Bhatt ziplining across the Baisaran meadow as gunshots ring in the background and people scattering away has gone viral on social media platforms.
The 53-second video, shot using a selfie stick, showed people running for their lives, with one of them falling, apparently after being gunned down by a terrorist.
Bhatt is seen smiling mid-air on the zipline when the operator is heard chanting 'Allahu Akbar' thrice followed by gunshots. Halfway through the zipline, people can be seen running in panic.
Rishi Bhatt described his experience to the media.
"I had planned a trip to Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Gulmarg, and Kargil with my family," Bhatt said.
"We were back in Pahalgam, taking pictures, when the firing began — just below the zipline I had used. I did not realise this for around 20 seconds."
"I saw 5-6 people getting shot. After about 20 seconds, I realised that it was a terrorist attack," he recalled.
He claimed that the firing started after the zipline operater chanted 'Allahu Akbar' three times.
"I found out that men in two families ahead of us were asked their religion and shot in front of my wife and son. My wife and son were screaming. I unlatched my belt and jumped down, took my wife and son and started running away," he said.
Bhatt said they hid in a blind spot where three to four others had taken refuge.
"When firing halted a little after 8-10 minutes, we started running toward the main gate...The firing started again and 4-5 people were shot. 15-16 tourists were shot in front of us," he told mediapersons.
He added, "We somehow reached the main gate. That’s where we saw the security guard and ticket collector had also been shot."
Local guides and horsemen fled the area, according to Bhatt.
"When I got ready and got the selfie stick ready, he (the operator) said, 'Allah hu Akbar' three times. And the firing started. He kept looking down while uttering the words. When we saw the video the next day, I realised that the firing started after he said 'Allah hu Akbar,'" Bhat claimed.
He recalled that there was no presence of the Indian Army, and the place was under the local police's security.
"Within 20 minutes of the incident, the Army had covered all tourists and brought them to the parking lot," he said.
"I witnessed the attack from 25 to 30 feet away," Bhatt added. "But my wife saw the terrorists firing from just six feet."
(With inputs from PTI)