What Happened During the Pahalgam Attack? NIA Interviews Widow of Victim from Bengal

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Three tourists from West Bengal were killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam.
- NIA is investigating the circumstances of the attack.
- Families of the victims are receiving compensation.
- Official inquiries are focusing on the experience of survivors.
- Safety measures for tourists in Kashmir are being reviewed.
Kolkata, April 27 (NationPress) Officials from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted a meeting on Sunday with the widow of the late Bitan Adhikari, one of the three tourists from West Bengal tragically killed in the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.
In the evening, a team of three NIA agents arrived at Adhikari's family home in Patuli, situated on the southern outskirts of Kolkata, and spent approximately three hours interviewing his widow, Sohini Adhikari.
Sources familiar with the discussions revealed that Sohini was asked about the specific locations they visited prior to arriving in Pahalgam during their holiday in Kashmir.
The NIA officials sought to gather details from Sohini regarding their experiences during the attack, including an estimate of the number of assailants present during the horrific event.
At the time of the attack, Sohini and their three-year-old son, Hridan, were with Bitan, who was among the victims targeted in this selective killing of Hindu tourists.
Bitan Adhikari had been residing with his family in Florida, US, due to job commitments, with Sohini also employed there.
The family returned to their Patuli home on April 8 and traveled to Kashmir for a vacation on April 16, intending to return to Kolkata the previous week. However, following the tragedy that claimed Bitan’s life during the attack on Tuesday, Sohini and Hridan returned home.
On Saturday, NIA officials also interviewed the widow and daughter of another victim from West Bengal, Sameer Guha, a former central government officer who fell victim to the Pahalgam attack.
On Monday, sources indicated that the NIA officials plan to visit Jhalda in Purulia district to speak with the widow of the third victim, Manish Ranjan Mishra, who was a Central Intelligence Bureau officer.
In response to the tragedy, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a compensation package of Rs 10 lakhs for each victim's family, as well as compensation for the family of Havaldar Jhantu Ali Sheikh, a paratrooper killed in a terrorist ambush in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur district earlier in the week.