In an interview with ETV Bharat, Sajad shared, “It is our responsibility to assist the tourists because they are our guests, and our livelihood depends on them. I didn’t think about my life; humanity comes first.”
The attack, carried out by four militants linked to the TRF (The Resistance Front), a splinter group of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), began around 2 pm. The militants ambushed tourists who were enjoying the serene surroundings of Baisaran, a popular meadow located six kilometers from Pahalgam. Armed with assault rifles, they opened fire indiscriminately on the tourists, many of whom were riding ponies or having picnics.
Sajad was at home when he received a message from Abdul Waheed Wan, the President of the Pahalgam Pony Association, about the ongoing attack. Without hesitation, Sajad joined Waheed and headed towards the scene. “We reached the location around 3 to 3:30 pm. We gave water to the injured and carried those who could not walk. We brought many of them to the hospital,” he recalled.
In the face of danger, Sajad and his fellow locals refused to abandon the wounded. “We did not care about our own lives. When we reached there, people were pleading for help. I could see the tourists crying, and my heart broke. These tourists light up the lamps in our homes. Our life is incomplete without them.”
Sajad rescued a tourist from Karnataka but never asked for their name. “It doesn’t matter,” he said, focusing on the act of saving lives rather than seeking recognition. When asked about the widespread praise he has received on social media, Sajad humbly responded, “I don’t want awards. I want peace. I want safety for our tourists. I want no more blood on our soil.”
Sajad’s words reflect the spirit of Kashmir, a place often misrepresented by conflict. “We are not terrorists. We are hosts. Kashmir is not just a place of conflict. It is also a place of care, hospitality, and love,” he said.
Tragically, before Sajad’s heroic actions, Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a local pony handler, had already emerged as a hero. Eyewitnesses say Adil confronted the militants head-on, trying to protect the tourists. “He didn’t run,” one survivor recalled. “He ran after one of the militants, yelling at him to stop.” Sadly, Adil lost his life in the process, his body found beside the tourists he had tried to save.
Meanwhile, police have identified the suspected assailants as Adil Thokar, a local from Anantnag, and two Pakistani nationals—Hashim Musa, alias Sulaiman, and Ali Bhai, alias Talha Bhai. These individuals are believed to be part of the TRF’s “Falcon Squad.”
In response to the attack, a massive search operation is underway, with drone surveillance and paramilitary forces combing the forests
