BHUBANESWAR: For 43-year-old Prasant Kumar Satpathy the visit to Kashmir was not just a vacation, it was a long-nurtured dream. But that dream of a joyful experience amidst the nature’s bounty ended in unthinkable tragedy as he fell to terrorists’ bullets in the Baisaran valley of Pahalgam in South Kashmir on Tuesday.
Prasant, a native of Saragaon panchayat in Balasore district was among 28 tourists killed in the gruesome terrorist attack. He was with his wife and nine-year-old son when terrorists opened fire. Caught in the sudden violence, he was shot and died on the spot.
His family survived, but their world has been shattered. “We were just landing from a ropeway after a joyride when I heard gunshots. I initially presumed it was firecrackers. But all of a sudden one bullet hit my husband’s head and he fell down. Before I could think of anything, he had died,” wife Priyadarshini said over the phone to a relative.
An accounts assistant with Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET) in Balasore, Prasant was the second son of his parents. “He saved money for months to afford the trip. He recently availed LTC to visit his dream destination and was so excited. But when we got the call from his wife, we could not believe it. She was disconsolate,” said his elder brother Sushant.
Back in his native village of Saragaon, a pall of gloom descended as the news of his death came in. Neighbours, relatives, and friends gathered at the Satpathys’ home, which on the other day bustles with activities as Sushant’s wife Sabitri happens to be the local sarpanch. His elderly mother has been stunned into silence since the news arrived.
“Prasant was so full of life, always putting others before himself. He had planned this trip for months. He wanted to show snow to his family. He used to keep saying, let them see heaven on earth. We still cannot believe he is no more,” a relative said.
Now, his younger brother Jayant is on his way to Kashmir to bring back the body. “I have spoken to the zilla parishad president and local MLA. They assured us that arrangements are being made to get the body back as soon as possible,” added Sushant.
As per the list of dead and injured released by the J&K police, one Shashi Kumari (65), wife of Ranjit Kumar from Odisha has also been injured in the attack. She has been admitted to the Government Medical College (GMC), Anantnag.
Meanwhile, Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi strongly condemned the cowardly attack on tourists in Pahalgam. “Violence has no place in our society. Heartfelt condolences to those who lost their lives. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Odisha stands in solidarity with the victims and their families during this difficult time,” Majhi posted on social media platform X.