Among the unfortunate victims in the Pahalgam terror attack was Sanjay Lele, a resident of Dombivli, Maharashtra. He had ventured to Kashmir for a vacation with his wife and child. After the attack ensued, Sanjay's son, Harshal Lele, had only one goal: to save his mother and lead her to safety. Reflecting on the dreadful incident five days later, 20-year-old Harshal from Dombivli remembers how the attack drastically changed his life.
The vacation to Jammu and Kashmir turned tragic for the Lele family and their accompanying kin. Harshal's father, Sanjay Lele, along with Hemant Joshi (45) and Atul Mone (43), who were cousins, fell victim to the attack on April 22. Harshal recounted, 'We had just finished lunch when we heard gunshots.'
'My Responsibility Was Clear...'
During the assault, a bullet grazed Harshal before tragically striking his father. He mentioned, 'It was my responsibility to save my mother. Putting myself in my father’s shoes, his first thought would be to save my mother, so I did exactly that.' He said the gunmen shot the men in front of their families, leaving women and children in shock.
Harshal recounted, 'My mother suffers from slight paralysis, which made walking difficult for her. My cousin Dhruv Joshi and I lifted her midway on the treacherous path. She slipped and fell multiple times but we had no choice.'
'Took More Than Three Hours...'
Harshal explained that eventually they found a horseman who helped bring families through the meadow, and he carried his mother on his back to escape. Reaching a safe place took them over three hours.
He said, 'Upon reaching the base and seeing CRPF personnel heading towards the meadow, we hoped my father and uncles would be rescued alive, but it wasn't meant to be.'
Harshal feels a void since losing his father, Sanjay. He shared, 'He always told me to think ten times before doing anything, no matter the circumstances. As the attack unfolded in front of my eyes, I could only think about what my father would do in that situation, and I acted accordingly. He always advised me to stay calm and speak humbly in any situation.'
Harshal mentioned his father’s love for cricket, spending Sundays playing matches. He often used sports references to help me understand problems and situations, which was the bond we shared.
