Kolkata: 

A day after the macabre attack by terrorists that claimed the lives of 26 people, including two foreign nationals, at a resort in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir in the afternoon on Tuesday, petrified tourists from West Bengal who are holed up in the Union Territory are waiting with bated breath for safe return.

On April 16, about 25 tourists from Chinsurah, Panduam Simlagarh and other areas of Bengal left for Pahalgam with Joyguru Tours in Chinsurah of the Hooghly district. The group reached on Tuesday afternoon, just before the attack was to take place.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday condemned the terror attack on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, stating that the "act of violence is utterly reprehensible". She also said perpetrators must "not go unpunished". Banerjee extended her condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

"I am deeply anguished by the brutal terrorist attack in the Pahalgam region of Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir. My heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, and prayers for the swift recovery of the injured," Banerjee posted on X. "This act of violence is utterly reprehensible and must not go unpunished," she added.

"In spite of all the chest-thumping of this Govt over Kashmir, the terrorists won the day in Kashmir by a dastardly act of violence and turning it into a Valley of Mayhem, much to the dismay of all," the Congress leader said.

Terrorists opened fire at Baisaran, a famed meadow near the town, on Tuesday afternoon, killing 26 people, mostly tourists, in what is the deadliest attack in the valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019.

Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also condemned the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam and lashed out at the Centre, claiming that terrorists had turned Kashmir into the "valley of mayhem" despite the government's "chest thumping" over it. He also extended his condolences to the families of the deceased.

"I strongly condemn the terror attack in Kashmir today. My heartfelt condolences to the victims' families," Chowdhury posted on X.

Left with no choice but to wait impatiently, the tourists are clueless about their homecoming as the deserted streets of Pahalgam reverberate with the sound of combat boots.

Anushka Ghosh, a tourist from Kolkata, said, "We are very scared after Tuesday’s attack. The locals and army personnel are helping us. We only want to return home safely."

"We had a miraculous escape. We are very petrified and are not allowed to go out of the hotel. We need the administration's help to return home safely," Jayanta Samaddar, another tourist from Bengal, said.

Sanjib Bandopadhyay, the owner of the travel agency, said, "We have been conducting Kashmir tours for many years. Peace was returning to the area gradually, leading to the pouring in of tourists. But the latest attack sent everything into a tizzy. We have bookings till May and have no clue about the next move.

The hotel and tourism business in the region has received a serious blow after the incident, as bookings are getting cancelled rapidly. The future looks bleak for us."

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