Pahalgam Terror Attack: Paediatrician's husband shot dead after revealing Name, Religion

Srinagar: A brutal act of terrorism in Pahalgam, which left the nation in mourning and rage, tore a family's world apart. A Bengaluru-based paediatrician's husband, a father, a simple man on a family vacation, was mercilessly shot even after he begged for his life. Not for himself, but for his three-year-old son.  

But his cries were unheard, and he was lying on the ground, bleeding with bullet holes in his head and body after being shot for three minutes non-stop. In an instant, a child was orphaned, a wife was shattered, and a peaceful holiday turned into a lifelong nightmare.

The deceased man is Bharath Bhushan, a 41-year-old former software professional from Bengaluru, who was mercilessly shot dead by terrorists in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, on Tuesday in front of his wife, Dr Sujatha, a paediatrician at M.S. Ramaiah Medical College and Hospital and their three-year-old son. 

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As per an India Today report, he had recently quit his job to manage his family’s diagnostic centre located in western Bengaluru’s Mathikere area, but his life was cut short after he proudly said his name which itself represents India and religion to the terrorists who mercilessly shot him dead by firing bullets in the head. 

His final rites were held at the Hebbal crematorium in Bengaluru. The atmosphere at his home in Sundar Nagar, Mathikere, was filled with grief. His wife, Dr. Sujatha Bhushan, who witnessed the killing, was inconsolable. The sight of her holding their three-year-old son beside Bharath's lifeless body brought tears to everyone around, reports The Hindu. 

The funeral saw a large number of heads, with political leaders and locals coming together to pay their last respects. Transport and Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy, following instructions from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, oversaw the cremation and also visited the family’s home. BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra and MLA Munirathna were among those who attended the funeral.

Speaking to NDTV, Dr. Sujatha recalled the terrifying events of that day. "We went on vacation on April 18. Pahalgam was our last stop... we went up to Baisaran that day on pony rides and, when we reached, we took photographs and played with our child. We tried out Kashmiri costumes... then suddenly we heard lots of shots," she said. 

"Initially, we thought they were just driving away birds or wild animals... but the noise kept continuing and getting closer. Then we realised this is not typical... this is an attack. But there was nowhere to hide, no hole to crawl into and escape. You know how Baisaran is... it is a large field and we were right in the middle. Anywhere we tried to run, it is quite a far distance to the perimeter. So we started hiding behind tents, the Kashmiri tents, set up in the middle of field," Dr Sujatha added. 

The doctor, her husband and their son were crouching behind one tent, but they could still see what was happening. And it was horrifying. People were being pulled up, questioned, and shot.

According to Bharath’s mother-in-law, the terrorists were checking Aadhaar cards and asking people about their religion. "They asked, ‘Are you Muslim or Hindu?’ They questioned them and then killed him. My son-in-law was carrying the baby. They made him put the baby down and then shot him.”

“They told her, ‘If you’re Muslim, we’ll spare you.’ But how could they say they were Muslim after already telling them they were Hindu? They shot him in the head after confirming he was Hindu,” she told India Today. 

Further, she said the attackers “kept shooting him for three minutes, it seems. They didn’t stop until he was dead. They shot him in the head.”

Back home, Bharath’s father, Chanaveerappa, a retired government officer, was informed of the tragedy on Monday morning. His mother, Shailakumari, who has a heart condition, is said to be in critical condition after hearing the news.

Medical Dialogues had recently reported that in the wake of the horrific attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed at least 26 lives and left 17 injured on April 22, a doctor couple from Chandigarh has stepped forward to share their recent experience in the region.

Dr. G.S. Grewal, a well-known physician, and his wife, who returned from a four-day trip to Jammu and Kashmir on April 21, recounted their journey, expressing both admiration for the region’s natural beauty and deep concern over the lack of safety measures for tourists.

Also read- Pahalgam Attack: Chandigarh Doctor Couple Flag Security Lapses