Don't politicise Pahalgam attack or play with our pain, says wife of terror victim

Hindustan Times

30-04-2025

Pragati Jagdale, wife of Santosh Jagdale—one of the tourists killed in the April 22 terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam—on Tuesday urged political leaders not to exploit the tragedy for political ends. She said survivors had directly witnessed the brutality and distinctly heard what the attackers said during the ambush.
Her appeal came a day after Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar sparked a controversy by questioning claims that the terrorists had asked victims about their religion before opening fire. Wadettiwar, while stating that terrorists have no caste or religion, cast doubt on the widely reported version that non-Muslims were specifically targeted in the Pahalgam massacre.
His comments drew swift backlash from the ruling alliance, with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis calling it deeply insensitive and offensive to the victims' families.
On April 22, 26 people—mostly tourists—were killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam, located in the Anantnag district of south Kashmir. Survivors and eyewitnesses later told the media that the attackers had deliberately targeted non-Muslims during the shooting.
Speaking to reporters in Pune, Pragati Jagdale said the trauma of that day continues to haunt her. 'Every time I shut my eyes, I see a man with a gun. I still can't sleep. The horror is embedded deep within,' she said, adding that she hopes the government support will help her daughter, Asavari, piece her life back together.
Pragati also reiterated her appeal for restraint. 'Please don't politicise what happened or manipulate our grief. We were present there. We heard the terrorists speak. We have already shared what they said,' she said.
She said the gunmen acted with deliberate malice. 'They came prepared to kill. It was a cold-blooded act. We heard the hate in their voices. I urge all politicians—on humanitarian grounds—not to play with our emotions,' she said.
On Monday, Wadettiwar, who is also the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, told reporters, 'We are being told that terrorists identified victims by religion before killing them. But do terrorists have the time to whisper in someone's ear and confirm their faith before shooting? Some say this happened, others deny it. Don't use this as the basis to plan further actions.'
The Congress leader's remarks were widely criticised. Fadnavis said Wadettiwar had added to the pain of those grieving their loved ones lost in the attack.