Assam University Professor Debashish Bhattacharjee and his family were enjoying the scenic beauty of the place along with the other tourists when the terrorists attacked them at Pahalgam
Assam University professor Debashish Bhattacharjee narrates spine-chilling Pahalgam ordeal: In an experience that will stay with him and his family for the rest of his life, a professor of Assam University, Silchar, had a lucky escape after terrorists carrying out the dastardly terror attack in Pahalgam yesterday (April 22) let him go when he, after being threatened at gunpoint, recited a verse from the Quran that saved his life.
Professor Debashish Bhattacharjee, a resident of Sribhumi district, had gone to Jammu and Kashmir with his wife and son when the four heavily armed Pakistani terrorists entered Baisaran, a meadow often referred to as “mini Switzerland”, and opened fire on the many tourists who were enjoying the scenic beauty of the place.
As the terrorists began singling out Hindu tourists, asking what religion they professed and opened fire on whoever said they were Hindus, a terrorist kept a gun on his forehead.
The educationist, while recounting his spine-chilling experience, said he was allowed to go after he chanted the Quranic verse “la ilaha illallah”.
“The incident took place at around 2:30 and we were sleeping under a tree when the terrorists entered the area. The seize continued for a long time although I and my wife and son were lucky enough that we could flee around 10 minutes after the mayhem started,” Bhattacharjee told News Live’s Chief Managing Editor Syed Zarir Hussain over telephone from Srinagar.
“It’s a nightmarish experience for me,” Bhattacharjee, a Professor of Bengali at Assam University, said, and recounted how the terrorist who had held him at gunpoint allowed him to go after he chanted the verse from the Quran.
“The gun-wielding terrorist had shot a person who was standing not very far from me. As the person collapsed to the ground, a few drops of blood fell on my shirt,” he further stated, and added: “The terrorist then held me at gunpoint while I chanted the Quranic verse ‘la ilaha illallah’, as I heard many others doing the same”.
“I don’t know what effect it had on the terrorist but he allowed me to go while the mayhem continued,” the Professor further stated.
“When he let me go, I, my wife and our son crossed the fence and ran towards the hill. We walked for almost two hours and reached a village. A woman helped us with our climb downhill and we made 90 per cent of our descent on foot before finally spotting two horsemen who helped us reach Pahalgam on horseback,” he went on, recounting their ordeal but thanked his stars to be still alive.
“We also helped another family from Chhattisgarh along with a small girl descend down the hill with us,” Bhattacharjee said, saying he saw around four bodies lying around him before he managed to escape.
The Assam University professor then took a taxi from Pahalgam to Srinagar where they are awaiting to take a flight to Assam.
Watch Assam University Professor Debashish Bhattacharjee’s Exclusive conversation with Chief Managing Editor of News Live Syed Zarir Hussain
Meanwhile, after his ordeal came to light following his telephonic conversation with News Live Chief Managing Editor Syed Zarir Hussain, the Chief Minister’s office spoke to the survivor saying “the family’s return to the State is being arranged on priority and the Govt of Assam is in touch with Govt of India to bring the family back to Assam at the earliest”.
“We are in touch with them and will try to bring them back to Assam at the earliest,” Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma stated.
He also condemned the incident, saying it’s for the first time that Pakistani terrorists killed them on the basis of people’s faith while also expressing concern at Hindu people being divided on the basis of their caste and creed.
