Rishi Bhatt, a survivor of the deadly April 22 terror attack in Kashmir, shared chilling details of the day when terrorists opened fire on tourists, killing 26 people.
Bhatt, who was ziplining at the time, had recorded a video capturing the chaos. In the footage, he is seen smiling moments before gunshots erupt in the background. Speaking to India Today, Bhatt recalled how a zipline operator shouted “Allahu Akbar” before opening fire.
“We were travelling to Kashmir and Pahalgam,” Bhatt said. “My wife, son, and four others had already crossed the zipline safely. However, when it was my turn, the operator chanted ‘Allahu Akbar’ three times, and then the firing began.”
Realizing the danger within seconds, Bhatt said he stopped himself mid-zipline, jumped down from a height of around 15 feet, and rushed to find his family. “I was only thinking about saving my life and my family’s life,” he said. Together, they fled into the nearby forest before making their way to a parking area and eventually moving towards Srinagar for safety.
Bhatt also described the brutality of the attackers. “The terrorists asked people to recite the Kalma. Those who couldn’t were asked their names and religion, and then they were shot,” he said. “I saw 16–18 murders in front of me.”
After hiding in a grove for 15–20 minutes, Bhatt and his family escaped once the firing subsided. He also revealed that the terrorists were disguised as security personnel, having stolen uniforms after killing two guards. “While running, I saw two security guards shot dead and stripped of their clothes,” he recalled.
Bhatt emphasized that no locals were present to assist when the attack began. “The locals were the first to run away,” he said. “But within 18 minutes, the Army arrived and secured us.”
The April 22 attack, claimed by The Resistance Front — a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba — has been one of the deadliest in the region in recent years. Following the incident, India initiated a series of strong diplomatic measures against Pakistan, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, expelling Pakistani diplomats, shutting the Attari-Wagah border, and ordering Pakistani nationals to leave India within a stipulated time.