Kashmir pony 'wallahs' guided visitors to safety

A pony “wallah” who laid down his life trying to save visitors to his homeland, a guide who rescued a family of 11 and countless locals are among those who added another dimension to Kashmir’s hospitality when terror struck Pahalgam on a calm Tuesday afternoon.

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In what is the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019, terrorists opened fire' in Baisaran, a popular tourist spot in the upper reaches of Pahalgam in Kashmir, killing 26 people, mostly holidayers from other states.

As tourists and families of victims from across the country reached home from Kashmir and outrage spread, stories of locals helping those who were stuck in the terrifying ordeal flooded in,

When the initial list of victims was made public, Syed Adil Hussain Shah’s was the only name ofa local. The story of his bravery made thousands, including Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, attend his funeral on Wednesday in Pahalgam’s Hapatnard village.

Families of Kaustubh Ganbote and Santosh Jagdale, two victims, who stood face to face with the armed terrorists, the 30-year-old pony “wallah” confronted them asking why they were killing innocent people. In courageous attempt to protect tourist, the young man tried to snatch away the weapon. Shah succumbed to three bullets to the chest.