Visakhapatnam man among those killed in terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir

Tragedy struck on Tuesday 22 April 2025, when a brutal terrorist attack claimed the lives of several tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir. Among those killed were at least two individuals of Telugu origin.

J Chandramouli, a retired bank employee from Pandurangapuram, Visakhapatnam, was among the victims. The attack unfolded at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam in Anantnag district, where terrorists affiliated with The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba, opened indiscriminate fire on a group of tourists. The horrifying incident left over 25 people people dead and many others injured, according to latest reports.

According to eyewitness accounts, Chandramouli tried to flee the scene but was chased down by the gunmen. Despite his pleas for mercy, he was shot dead at point-blank range. His body was discovered three hours later by fellow tourists. His mortal remains are expected to arrive in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday afternoon.

Another victim, Manish Ranjan, an Intelligence Bureau officer stationed in Hyderabad, was also gunned down. Originally from Bihar, Ranjan was vacationing in Kashmir with his family when the attack occurred. He was reportedly shot in front of his wife and children.

The violence also claimed the life of Madhusudan Somisetty, originally from Kavali in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district and currently residing in Bengaluru. On a family holiday to Kashmir, he too was killed on the spot during the shooting, reportedly carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba-backed militants.

Figures suggest the death toll may exceed 25. In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his Saudi Arabia visit and returned to New Delhi early this morning. He is expected to visit Srinagar soon to review the situation firsthand.

The Resistance Front, which claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack in Kashmir, is a proxy outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a banned Pakistan-based terror organization.

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