‘Good and Bad’ Adils of Pahalgam attack: One who saved, one who killed

Srinagar, April 25
While the families of Pahalgam terror attack victims struggle to hold back tears over their irreversible losses and an outraged nation awaits revenge, a contrasting tale of two Adils has surfaced from the valley.

Adil Hussain Thoker and Syed Adil Hussain Shah are two individuals with the same names, but their deeds put them on two sides of the Pahalgam tragedy.

Adil Thoker was one of the Pahalgam perpetrators who pumped bullets at the tourists, while his namesake, a pony rider who challenged the terrorists with bare hands and took bullets on his chest to save tourists, displayed immense courage.

The dastardly terror attacks by heavily armed militants in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadows on April 22 led to the brutal killing of 25 Indians and one Nepali national. The dastardly attack on civilians, one of the deadliest in the recent past, created horror and left the entire nation in shock and anger. Many eyewitnesses and the families of victims, narrating the horrifying tale of terror, said the terrorists appeared from behind the pine forests and opened fire from point-blank range after segregating them on the basis of religion.

Syed Adil Hussain Shah was among the 26 deceased and the only local resident to fall victim to terrorists’ bullets. The 28-year-old local worked as a pony rider and used to ferry visitors through the rough terrains of Pahalgam. On April 22, when terrorists were running amok, he challenged one of them and tried to wrest his rifle. He was hit in the chest, with bullets piercing through him.

The ‘pony rider’ Adil has etched his name in history with his heroic act and is being hailed by everyone for sacrificing his own life for others. Though his family is heartbroken and inconsolable, the horseman is being hailed as someone who stood for 'Kashmiriyat'. His last rites were attended by many, with J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah promising adequate support for the grieving family.

“His valour and selflessness shall remain forever an inspiration to all. He is the true face of Kashmiriyat and Kashmiri hospitality,” said CM Omar Abdullah.

Adil Hussain Thoker was one of the group of terrorists who hurled bullets at the innocent civilians. He is one of the key suspects behind the attack. The police have released his sketch and sought people’s help in finding his whereabouts.

The dreaded terrorist, a member of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, also has a bounty of Rs 20 lakh on his head. J&K Police, while releasing his and the other two suspects' sketches, has announced a cash reward of Rs 20 lakh for information leading to his arrest.

Earlier in the day, the officials said that the houses of two terrorists -- Adil Hussain Thokar and Asif Sheikh -- involved in the Pahalgam terror attack were destroyed after blasts occurred due to explosive material stored in them.