New Delhi: A group of concerned citizens on Thursday condemned the Pahalgam terror attack in the strongest terms and expressed solidarity with the victims’ families. They urged the government to take necessary steps to enhance security at tourist spots in the Kashmir valley.
In a joint statement released to the media, they stated:
“It was reported by NDTV that at least 26 civilians, mostly tourists, were killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Tuesday, sources said, in what is the deadliest attack in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike. The attack took place at Baisaran, a meadow accessible only on foot or by pony, where a group of tourists had gone visiting on Tuesday morning.
The Resistance Front, a shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group, is reported to have claimed responsibility for the attack, but a government statement confirming the same is awaited.
We condemn this terror attack in the strongest terms. We stand by the families of those who lost their near and dear ones. Their loss is irreparable. We express our solidarity with all those who were wounded or affected by this terror attack. We place on record our deepest appreciation to the people of Kashmir who provided assistance to the affected at this critical juncture and have maintained calm in these trying times.
As citizens, we stand with the entire nation in this hour of great grief. We expect the government will take necessary steps to enhance security in tourism spots in the Kashmir valley and restore confidence in the valley and around. We oppose any hasty decision taken by the government at this critical time.”
The statement was signed by John Dayal, Noella de Souza, Luvena Rangel Nirmalini, Helen Saldana, Sujata Jena, Mazher Hussain, Elsa Muttathu, Sadhana Dash, Mary Scaria, Irudaya Jothi, Brinelle D’Souza, Cynthia Stephen, Ajaya Singh, Frazer Mascarenhas, Joseph M.T., Nivedita Jha, Cedric Prakash, Shanti Mani, David Solomon, A.C. Michael, Raynah Braganza, Aloysius Irudayam, George Munipally, Astrid Lobo Gajiwala, Teesta Setalvad, Lisa Pires Binu, Mathew John Samuel, Dorothy Lewis, Alphonse G. Kennedy, Rupesh Kumar, Arif Mohamad, Arshad Ajmal, Virginia Saldanha, Anita Cherian, Kocurani Abraham, Aruna Gnanadason, Joy Mascarnhas, Aasma Khan, Pushpendra Kumar, Ammu Abraham Azad, P.M. Tony, Nirmala Bhakre, Jasmine Nair, Joycia Thorat, Samuel Ponnaiah, Binu Thomas, Alexander James, Ashalatha Joshua, Ebenezar Joshua, John David, Barnabas John Kohlhoff, Prafulla William, Abraham Joseph, Rajasingh Ivin, George Prem Kumar, Raja Manu Cherian, Dennis Walton, Suguna Rajkumar, Sushil Nathaniel, Wg Cdr I.D. Soans, Roop Rekha Varma, Marcia D’cunha, Manju K. Chandra Shekar, Loganathan Y.A., Joshuah Percis, P. Augustine, Ezhakunnel Cynthia Leelamma, N.T. Carol, Geeta Tessy Paul, Stanislaus Alla, J.C. Sampath Kumar, John Jena, Sheeba Pual, Robancy Helen, Jomol Joy, Geetanjali Senapati, Siddhartha Roshan, Kokila Parmar, Edward Dileep, Brinda Adige, Afzal Hussain, John Paul, Nithiya Sagayam Seli, Thomas Deevarapalli, Manju Nisha, and Mathew Prakash Loui.
