SHIVAMOGGA: A pall of gloom descended on the family of city-based realtor Manjunath Rao, who was killed in the terror attack at Pahalgam in Kashmir on Tuesday.
Manjunath, 48, along with his wife and son had gone to Kashmir to celebrate his son’s success in the recent II PU exam. Their son scored 97% marks in the exam.
Manjunath and his family members left for Kashmir on April 19. They were supposed to return to Shivamogga on April 24. The tour was booked through a travel agency, sources close to the family told TNIE. Pallavi, Manjunath’s wife, told news channels that the terrorists shot dead her husband in front of her.
“My son had not eaten anything since morning. My husband was speaking with a shopkeeper when terrorists opened fire. They shot him in the head. Three to four terrorists attacked the tourists. After killing my husband, I asked one of them to kill me too. He said, ‘Nahin marenge, Modi ko boldo’ (We won’t kill you, tell Prime Minister Modi) and left. No army personnel were present during the attack,” she said.
Pallavi said three local Kashmiri men rescued them chanting, “Bismillah, Bismillah.” “They were like my brothers,” she said. Politicians, including former DCM KS Eshwarappa, MP BY Raghavendra, MLA SN Channabasappa, former MLA KB Prasanna Kumar and Congress leader HC Yogesh visited Manjunath’s family.
Manjunath’s mother has not been informed about his death. She was told that he was injured in the attack.
Raghavendra said that the terrorists targeted Manjunath and other tourists after learning that they were Hindus.
Raghavendra told reporters that the attack took place around 3.30 pm. “I spoke to Pallavi over the phone. She told me that after they killed her husband, she asked them to kill her too. One of the terrorists told her he was sparing her so she could inform Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
“After the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, and with increased security and normalcy returning, terrorists are unable to accept the change. That’s why they’re targeting Hindu tourists. They shot them after confirming their identity,” he said.
Raghavendra said he has spoken to the Union home minister’s office and Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh. A team of officers from Karnataka will leave for Kashmir soon.