Three Individuals from Bengal Lose Lives in Pahalgam Terror Attack
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Synopsis
On April 23, three residents of West Bengal were killed in a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir. The victims include two central government officials and one individual visiting from the USA. West Bengal's Chief Minister expressed sorrow over the incident, while the opposition criticized her for local issues.
Key Takeaways
- Three fatalities from West Bengal in Pahalgam attack.
- Two victims were central government officials.
- Victims included a family on vacation and a resident from the USA.
- Chief Minister Banerjee expressed condolences.
- Criticism from the BJP regarding state governance.
Kolkata, April 23 (NationPress) Three individuals from West Bengal tragically lost their lives in a horrific terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir. Among the deceased, two were officials of the central government.
One of the victims, Manish Ranjan Mishra, was originally from Jhalda in Purulia district of West Bengal. An officer with the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Mishra had recently been reassigned to Hyderabad from Ranchi. He was in Pahalgam with his wife, son, and daughter for a vacation that included a visit to the Vaishno Devi shrine. Family members in Jhalda confirmed that he departed from Hyderabad on April 15 for the holiday.
The second victim, Sameer Guha, also worked as a central government employee and resided in Sakher Bazar in Behala, on the southern outskirts of Kolkata. He was vacationing in Kashmir with his wife, Shobori, and was expected to return to Kolkata on Wednesday. His wife stated to the media that her husband was among those specifically targeted by the masked assailant.
The third victim, Bitan Adhikari, came from the Patuli area of south Kolkata. He lived in Florida, USA, with his wife, Sohini, and son, Hridan, but was visiting India with his family. They arrived in Kolkata on April 8 and proceeded to Kashmir on April 16, with plans to return to Kolkata next week. Following Adhikari's tragic death, his wife and son are now returning home sooner than intended.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed profound grief over the incident, stating, “My heart goes out to the families of the victims of the devastating terrorist attack on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir today,” in a statement released on Tuesday evening.
Nonetheless, Banerjee's statement faced sharp criticism from Amit Malviya, head of the BJP IT Cell and the party's Central Observer for West Bengal, who accused the Chief Minister of neglecting pressing issues within her own state. “While what occurred in Kashmir is undoubtedly tragic, the situation in West Bengal is equally, if not more, concerning,” Malviya stated.
He accused Banerjee of “engineering a demographic shift” for political advantage and urged her to visit Murshidabad to observe the alleged unrest firsthand.
