A heart-stopping video of the terrorist attack that occurred six days ago in Pahalgam has been revealed. Captured on a tourist's camera affixed to a zipline, the entire terrifying scene unfolds. Eyewitness Rishi spoke with Aaj Tak, revealing how bullets sprayed below as he unknowingly ziplined above the chaos, becoming aware of the assault only 20 seconds later. He noted that around five terrorists donned military garb, wore masks, and shot people after questioning their religion. Rishi recounted his miraculous escape.
Aaj Tak conducted an interview with tourist Rishi, detailing his gripping experience through a Q&A format below.
Question 1: When you appeared in the video, did you have any clue something was about to go wrong?
Answer: No, I had no idea. I was enjoying myself, recording the video. Initially, everything seemed fine until suddenly the gunfire began.
Question 2: What time did the firing start, and when did you realize it?
Answer: The firing commenced around 2:30 PM. I realized it was a terrorist attack approximately 20 seconds later.
Question 3: How did you witness the start of the shooting, and what did you feel?
Answer: As I descended, I saw two individuals shot in front of my wife. I was the next target, but luckily I was saved by the arrival of two young men.
Question 4: How many terrorists did you see, and what was their behavior like?
Answer: I saw two people on the ground asking about religion before shooting. There was also sniper activity from the bushes. In my estimate, there were about 4-5 terrorists.
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Question 5: Were the terrorists masked, and what uniforms were they wearing?
Answer: Yes, they covered their faces and were dressed in Indian Army uniforms.
Question 6: Was there any slogan chanting?
Answer: No, there was no chanting. Everyone was fleeing in terror from the attack.
Question 7: Where did you hide during the shooting, and how did you escape?
Answer: My family and I hid in a spot that was not easily visible. Two or three others were already there. We stayed hidden for about 8-10 minutes before zigzagging our way to safety.
Question 8: How many fatalities did you witness?
Answer: We saw around 17-18 people lose their lives in front of us.
Question 9: Did anything suspicious happen while you were on the zipline?
Answer: Yes, the zipline operator seemed normal at first, but as shooting began below, he shouted 'Allahu Akbar.' I suspect he might have had a role in it.
Question 10: How long did it take for security forces to arrive?
Answer: The Indian Army arrived in about 22 minutes and ensured all tourists were protected.
Question 11: Did the army's arrival frighten people?
Answer: Yes, the presence of real soldiers scared women as terrorists were disguised in similar uniforms. Eventually, the army convinced everyone of their authenticity.
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Question 12: Did the terrorists steal tourists' phones?
Answer: I'm not sure about that. I didn't observe it. We were preoccupied with escaping. But I did witness them asking about religion before executing people.
Question 13: Did the terrorists steal security guards' uniforms?
Answer: Yes, it appeared that they killed the security guards and donned their uniforms to penetrate the area.
