A year after terrorists gunned down tourists in Pahalgam, the family of Manjunath Rao says the trauma remains etched in their minds even as they try to move on with life, his cousin Ravi Kiran said.
Two people from Karnataka were among the 26 tourists killed in the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, and for their families, the haunting memories continue to linger.
Rao (47), a realtor from Shivamogga, was one of the victims. He was shot dead in front of his wife, Pallavi, and their son.
According to family members, Rao had travelled to Pahalgam with his wife and son on their first trip to Kashmir. They were scheduled to return on April 24.
“They cannot forget anything. It remains in their minds. But life has to go on… they have no choice but to cope. His wife is not willing to speak about it… What is there to say? Life has to go on,” Kiran told over the phone.
The other victim was 41-year-old IT professional Bharath Bushan from Bengaluru, who had also travelled to Pahalgam with his wife and their three-year-old son.
Bushan was shot dead by terrorists in front of his wife, Sujatha, and their son, who survived the attack.
According to his family, once Sujatha realised her husband was dead, she picked up his identity cards and fled the scene with their son.
When PTI visited Bushan’s house in Mattikere in Bengaluru, his father, V Chennaveerappa, declined to speak about the incident.
“We are in a lot of pain. I don’t wish to speak about it. My wife is also unwell. We are in deep distress,” he said.
The terror attack in Pahalgam prompted India to launch Operation Sindoor, targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan.