"Don't Politicise, Play With Our Emotions": Pahalgam Terror Attack Victim's Wife

Pragati Jagdale, wife of Santosh Jagdale, one of the tourists killed in the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, on Tuesday appealed to leaders not to politicise the tragedy and said the survivors had experienced the horror firsthand and heard what the assailants said.

Jagdale's appeal has come a day after Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, in a controversial remark, said that terrorists have no caste or religion and questioned the veracity of the claim that terrorists asked about the faith of tourists before killing them in Pahalgam town last week.

Mr Wadettiwar's comments stoked a row and invited strong condemnation from ruling alliance leaders, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Twenty-six people, most of them tourists, were gunned down by terrorists in Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on April 22.

Eye-witnesses and survivors, in their interactions with media after the deadly assault, have claimed the terrorists had marked out non-Muslims.

Talking to reporters in Pune, Jagdale said, "We are still haunted by the terror attack. Whenever I close my eyes, I see a man holding a rifle. I haven't been able to sleep properly. The shock is too deep." She said she now hopes that with government assistance, her daughter Asavari will be able to rebuild her life.

Jagdale appealed to leaders not to politicise the issue.

"Please don't politicise the incident or play with our emotions. We were there. We know what the terrorists said. We have already shared their statements during the attack," she said.

Jagdale said the attackers came with a clear intention to kill and carried out the massacre cold-bloodedly.

"We experienced terrorism. We heard hateful words. I urge all politicians, on humanitarian grounds, not to play with our emotions," she said.

Talking to reporters on Monday, Mr Wadettiwar, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, said, "We are being told that terrorists ascertained religion and then killed people. Do terrorists even have so much time to go close to someone and whisper in their ears? It is highly controversial because some are claiming such things did happen while others are denying it. Do not plan anything around it."

The senior Congress leader faced a barrage of criticism, with Chief Minister Fadnavis saying his statement had rubbed salt in the wounds of the families who lost their loved ones in the horrific attack.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)