Justice for entire country, not just for myself: Patuli survivor
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Kolkata: "I miss and feel the pain of losing Bitan every day," says
Soheni Adhikary
, her voice trembling as she remembers her late husband, Bitan Adhikary, a Florida-based techie from Patuli who was among the 26 persons killed in a terror attack at Pahalgam in Kashmir on April 22.
A month after the cold blooded killing of her husband by terrorists who turned the picturesque meadow in Pahalgam into a killing field, Soheni is still unable to put the pieces together and move on.
"It still feels unreal. I can't describe how broken and helpless I've felt from within since that horrific day. One month has passed since that day but I feel his absence every single moment and each day without him seems like eternity," Soheni said while breaking down over the phone call.
Bitan, who settled in Florida in 2019, was on a much-awaited vacation to Srinagar with his wife and three-and-a-half-year-old son Hridaan, on coming back to India.
In an earlier interaction, Soheni narrated in detail to TOI how the peaceful getaway turned into a nightmare when they had to flee with their toddler amid gunfire, hiding with others.
Terrorists confronted Bitan, asked his religion, ordered him to recite Kalma, and shot him dead when he admitted being Hindu.
Dressed in Pathan suits, Soheni said they filmed the attack.
After Bitan collapsed, Soheni tried CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation but couldn't save him.
Speaking to TOI on Wednesday, Soheni said she doesn't want to recall the day but admitted that the nightmarish memories are still fresh in her mind. "The sight of Bitan's lifeless body keeps coming before me every moment. They just refuse to go," she said.
A week after the attack, NIA visited Kolkata and collected her statement.
When asked if the investigators are keeping her in the loop with the developments of the investigation, she said she wouldn't like to discuss the same.
Following the Operation Sindoor counter-terrorism action by India, Soheni thanked the govt for avenging her husband's death. She said that the govt action could have brought the much-needed solace to her dead husband's soul.
However, there has been no public information about any of those terrorists directly part of the ambush being arrested or killed yet.
"It doesn't matter if a month, a week, or a year has passed. All I want is justice, not just for Bitan but for every innocent life lost," she said on Wednesday.
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