A Survivor's Experience from the Pahalgam Kashmir Terror Attack

Tourists trying to escape
Published date: 22-April-2025

A Beautiful Place Turned Into a Nightmare My Pahalgam Experience

I honestly can’t shake off what happened yesterday April 22, 2025 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. If you’ve ever been there or even seen photos, you know it’s one of the most peaceful, beautiful places in India. People go there to disconnect, breathe mountain air, and just feel alive. But what unfolded yesterday was nothing short of horrifying.

You Won’t Believe What Just Happened in Pahalgam...

Meet Sunita, who was there when the unthinkable incident happened in Pahalgam, she will take you through the terrifying moments and their journey to safety. I was there when it happened. The moment we heard gunshots, I immediately knew something was terribly wrong. People around us started shouting that firing was happening, and we just started running. We were all moving so fast, but there were so many people pushing from behind. It was chaotic. I remember feeling people bumping into me, even stepping on my feet. At one point, someone grabbed my son, who was behind me, to pull him along. We didn’t have time to think about anything other than running as fast as we could.

Number of Tourists Present in Kashmir pahalgam

There were a lot of tourists, maybe 4,000 to 5,000 people, and many of them had small children. It was really crowded, and we didn’t know what was going on behind us because we were trying to get to the exit. We didn’t turn around to look back. All we cared about was getting out safely.

Injury and Assistance

When I got injured, it was my husband and my son who helped me. My leg got hurt, but I didn’t see anyone getting shot. I did overhear someone talking about their brother who had died, and it was heartbreaking. There were other people crying, trying to find their families, but no one had time to stop. Everyone was focused on getting out alive .We were just leaving the spot we’d been visiting, Pahalgam. We had taken a horse ride and explored the area. We were heading out when the shooting started. We couldn’t see where the shots were coming from because we were about 20 feet away, but the panic around us was intense. The exit was narrow, only 4 feet wide, and people were pushing to get through. I didn’t see anyone firing, but the sound of the gunshots was terrifying. It lasted for at least 10 or 15 minutes. The whole time, people were yelling and crying, but no one stopped to look for others. It was every person for themselves.

Details of the Injury

As for my injury, my leg was fractured in two places. We didn’t stop to rest, even though I was in pain. My son and husband helped me down the mountain despite my injury, and we just kept moving. Our only goal was to get out.

Relief After Surviving

It felt like a nightmare. We didn’t know if we would make it, but thankfully, we did. Now, when I look back, it’s hard to believe we actually survived. The panic, the confusion it was all so overwhelming. But we got out, and I’m so grateful for that.