April 22 turned into a day of unimaginable horror for the Kalthia family from Surat, Gujarat, as they fell victim to the brutal terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Shailesh Kalthia, a resident of Varachha area in Surat city, was among those killed in what survivors describe as a targeted massacre based on religion.

His son, Naksh Kalthia, who survived the attack, shared a harrowing account of what unfolded that day at the tourist hotspot often referred to as 'mini Switzerland'.

“We were at the 'mini Switzerland' point in Pahalgam, J&K. We heard gunshots... We hid once we realised that terrorists had entered the area. But, they found us. We saw two terrorists. I heard one of them ordered all the men to separate into Muslims and Hindus, and then shot all the Hindu men,” Naksh said, recounting the moments that shattered his family’s life.

According to Naksh, the terrorists forced the men to recite the 'Kalma'—a central Islamic declaration of faith—three times. “The terrorists asked the men to recite 'Kalma' three times... All those who could not recite it were shot,” he said.

As the violence unfolded, locals stepped in after the gunmen had left. “Once the terrorists left, the locals came and said that all those who had survived should go downhill immediately. The army arrived an hour or so after we climbed down from the point...” Naksh added.

Describing his father's final moments, he recalled, “The terrorists were not letting him (my father) speak at all... They did not say anything (to my mother)... One of the terrorists was fair and had a beard. He had a camera tied to his head... They spared the women and the children...”

The horrifying narrative has sent shockwaves through the Kalthia family's community in Surat and reignited concerns over security arrangements for tourists in the Kashmir Valley, especially in areas known to be sensitive.