Bharath Bhushan, a 41-year-old tech professional from Bengaluru, was among the 28 people killed in the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday evening. Shot dead in front of his wife Sujatha and their three-year-old son, Bharath’s last words to his family were: “Don’t worry… stay strong.”
Sujatha, who is a doctor, recounted the harrowing moments leading up to his death. She was browsing traditional Kashmiri clothes near a tent when chaos erupted. A terrorist, after killing a tourist nearby, approached her and accused them of being indifferent to the region’s suffering. “How can you be happy when our children are being killed?” he asked.
Moments later, the attacker turned to Bharath, who was carrying their child. “He asked my husband’s name. When Bharath said it, the terrorist shot him in the head three times,” Sujatha told TOI. The assailant even asked Bharath to put down the child before opening fire.
After the gunman fled, Sujatha fled with her son through a scene of devastation. “I knew he wouldn’t survive. I just ran. Bodies were everywhere. I climbed onto a horse with my son. CRPF personnel helped us from there,” she said.
Bharath’s body was flown back to Bengaluru early Thursday and cremated with full state honours. His death has left the nation shaken, sparking renewed calls for better protection of civilians in conflict zones.