Debasish Bhattacharyya, an Associate Professor in the Bengali Department at Assam University, was one of the people caught in the deadly terror attack near Baisaran in Pahalgam. Speaking to News18 Assam, he shared his harrowing experience, a tale of survival, unwavering faith, and incredible luck.

“I was sleeping under a tree with my family when I suddenly heard murmurs around me — people reciting the Kalima," Bhattacharyya stated. “Instinctively, I too began to recite it. Moments later, one of the terrorists, dressed in camouflaged fatigues, walked towards us and shot the person lying next to me in the head." The attacker then looked directly at Bhattacharyya and asked, “Kya kar rahe ho?”

In response, Bhattacharyya began reciting the Kalima even louder. “I don’t know what made me do it. For some reason, he turned away and walked off.” Realising he had a chance to escape, the professor calmly got up and ran with his wife and son. “We climbed uphill, crossed a fence, and kept walking for nearly two hours, following the hoof marks of horses on the path. Eventually, we came across a rider with a horse and managed to return to our hotel." Still in disbelief, Bhattacharyya said, “I still can’t believe I am alive."

The family is in Srinagar, awaiting the earliest chance to get back home. At least 26 tourists lost their lives in the terror attack after gunmen opened fire on civilians in Pahalgam. The incident happened at Baisaran, a popular tourist spot, where a group had gone for sightseeing on Tuesday morning. A group linked to the banned Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, known as the Resistance Front, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to officials, the victims included two foreigners, one from the UAE and another from Nepal, as well as two Kashmiri residents. Tourists from various Indian states, including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, were also among those killed. According to the initial investigation, three terrorists rounded up the victims and separated them into men and women before verifying who they were. Some were shot from afar using sniper-style methods, while many others died from heavy blood loss. Investigators found that the attackers picked the spot on purpose to delay rescue efforts and increase the number of casualties.

Security forces launched a large-scale search operation, thoroughly scanning the area to find the terrorists behind the attack. In a statement, the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps said, “The search operation is currently in progress, with all efforts focused on bringing the attackers to justice."