'Wounds Still Seem Alive': Families Honour Pahalgam Victims, Mourn Loss A Year After Tragedy

As the first anniversary of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack approaches, the family of Indian Air Force Corporal Tage Hailyang is preparing to inaugurate a memorial in his honour, seeking to preserve his memory and highlight the circumstances of his death, The Indian Express reported.

Hailyang, 30, was among the 26 people killed when terrorists opened fire on tourists in the Baisaran meadow area of south Kashmir in 2025.

His family has constructed a memorial near their village of Tajang in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Subansiri district, with a bronze statue of the airman forming its centrepiece.

“We want to keep his memory alive, and the world should know that there was such a person, Tage Hailyang, who lost his life in this way. We want people

to know why he died, so we have prepared a write-up which will be part of the memorial,” his elder brother Tage Taka told the publication.

Hailyang had joined the Indian Air Force in 2017 and was posted at the Srinagar base.

He had married Charo Kamhua just four months before the attack and was on holiday with her in Pahalgam before he was to take up a new posting at the Air Force base in Dibrugarh, Assam.

According to Taka, the emotional toll of the loss continues to affect the family, especially their elderly parents.

“We worry about them. I am also a parent. I understand the kind of pain they have been through. Our father is still able to bear it, even though the sadness within him is still visible to us, but seeing our mother this way is very difficult. Even though it’s going to be a year, her wounds still seem alive,” he said.

Another brother, Tage Mali, who serves in the Army, has returned home to support the family as they prepare for the memorial ceremony.

“We are trying to give our parents some himmat (courage) to view what happened as a huge tragedy but to focus on honouring the person that he was,” Taka said.

PUNE FAMILY CONTINUES TO COPE WITH TRAUMA, FINANCIAL STRAIN

The family of Santosh Jagdale, a 50-year-old businessman from Pune who was killed in the same attack, continues to grapple with emotional distress and financial challenges, the report mentioned.

Santosh was on holiday with his wife Pragati and daughter Asawari when terrorists opened fire at tourists in Anantnag district.

His death left the family without its primary breadwinner and deeply affected both his wife and daughter, who witnessed the attack.

“We had many sleepless nights. The incident we witnessed is still fresh in our minds,” said Asawari Jagdale (27).

“It was the most difficult year of our lives.”

Following the attack, Asawari quit her job in the HR department of a company to support her mother, while the family struggled to secure the government assistance that had been promised in the aftermath of the tragedy.

In the immediate aftermath, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had assured support, including a government job for Asawari on compassionate grounds.

However, the family did not receive any communication regarding the job for several months.

“We had to fight for the job on our own as there was no one to support us initially. It was only after we expressed our frustration publicly and received help from the media that things moved forward. I was finally able to secure a job in the Pune Municipal Corporation. This will help our family manage our livelihood,” Asawari said.

Eleven months after the attack, she was appointed as an administrative officer in the Pune Municipal Corporation and is currently undergoing training.

Despite the job offering financial relief, she said the emotional loss remains profound.

“While people may think things are settled now that I have a job in the PMC, one must understand that nothing can replace a father. There is a permanent void in our lives. We are still mentally exhausted,” she said.

The family plans to mark April 22 by donating food in Santosh’s memory.

“Most probably, we will donate to an orphanage in remembrance of my father. I cannot take leave on that day as I am still in my training period, so I will request a few hours off to carry out the planned activities,” she added.

SECURITY HEIGHTENED IN KASHMIR AHEAD OF ANNIVERSARY

According to news agency PTI, security has been intensified across tourist destinations in Kashmir ahead of the anniversary of the attack in which 26 people were killed by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists on April 22, 2025.

Officials said all security agencies have been directed to remain alert to prevent any possible subversive activity, particularly around tourist hotspots.

Meetings have been held at multiple levels to finalise a comprehensive security plan, while senior officers have reviewed preparedness measures on the ground.

The attack had triggered a sharp drop in tourist activity in Jammu and Kashmir, leading authorities to temporarily close nearly 50 tourist destinations before reopening them in phases after security audits.

Several new safety measures have since been introduced in Pahalgam, including antecedent verification of tourism service providers such as pony operators and vendors.

Authorities have also introduced a QR code-based identification system for registered tourism service providers, allowing visitors to verify credentials through mobile phones.

The QR codes contain details such as name, address, mobile number, Aadhaar information, registration details, and police verification status.

Kashmir Inspector General of Police VK Birdi recently chaired a security review meeting attended by senior officials from multiple agencies, including the CRPF, BSF, Traffic Police, Railways, Security, and the State Disaster Response Fund, to ensure robust arrangements for the anniversary period.

As families of victims continue to mourn and commemorate their loved ones, authorities say strengthened security arrangements aim to reassure visitors and ensure a safe environment at Kashmir’s tourist destinations.