A deadly assault on Indian tourists in Kashmir’s scenic Pahalgam region has sent shockwaves across the nation, claiming multiple innocent lives and sparking widespread outrage. Among those responding is the respected spiritual guru Premanand Maharaj, who issued a strong statement deploring the bloodshed. He described the tragedy as a grim reflection of deepening social fissures over caste, religion, and language. Hatred, he warned, has burrowed so deeply into hearts that it now bursts forth in violent episodes, transforming petty arguments into heinous crimes that stain the country’s conscience. Premanand Maharaj was unequivocal in rejecting any religious justification for the killings. “Taking up arms and murdering innocent people after checking their faith is indefensible in every religion,” he said.
Addressing the Pahalgam attack directly, the guru said that trying to “elevate” one’s religion by exterminating others amounts to adharma—irreligion—not piety. No scripture sanctions such brutality, he emphasized. The deliberate targeting of civilians, inflicting pain and persecution, constitutes a grave crime, and those who perpetrate it must face swift, decisive punishment under the law.
The spiritual leader broadened his remarks to the duty of society and the state. If a single individual threatens a family, that danger can cascade, endangering a neighborhood, then society, and ultimately the nation, he cautioned. Therefore, he argued, confronting and neutralizing violent offenders is itself an act of righteousness essential to world peace. Premanand Maharaj stressed that whimsical violence is not an expression of faith but a distortion of it. Regardless of their creed, perpetrators who terrorize the helpless and weak must be brought to justice so that ordinary citizens may live without fear.
A chilling story of the attack has emerged from the young survivor, five-year-old Naksh Kalthia. Naksh, who witnessed the horrifying incident, recounted the events with heartbreaking clarity. "The terrorists asked the men to recite 'Kalma' three times...," the child said. "They didn’t let my father speak. He was in the front, and I didn’t see when he was shot."
He explained that the family had travelled to Pahalgam, Kashmir, and had seen five places, including the well-known Baisaran meadow, which is sometimes called "Mini Switzerland." "We spent ten to fifteen minutes there. We sat down to eat when we were hungry. Then there were gunshots. We initially believed that something had occurred close by. The restaurant employees were also clueless when we asked them."
"We quickly realised that terrorists had infiltrated the area, so we went into hiding. However, they located us. Two terrorists were spotted by us. I heard, one of them shot all the Hindu guys after ordering the men to segregate into Muslims and Hindus," he said. He further mentioned that the terrorists ordered that everyone recite the Kalma three times. "The men were asked to repeat 'Kalma' three times by the terrorists. Everyone who was unable to recite it was shot," Naksh stated.
At least 20 to 30 people, all Hindus, were present at the time of the incident, said Naksh. " I was at the back; my mother, sister, and father were ahead of me. My father was shot, but I did not see him getting shot. One terrorist wore a black pair of jeans, a white T-shirt, a cap, and had a white beard. A camera was fixed on his head. Everyone else was shot, but women and children were released," he shared.
One of the three Gujaratis slain in the Pahalgam terror attack, Shailesh Kalthia, received a funeral in Surat. Hundreds of people, including Gujarat BJP President and Union Minister C.R. Patil, attended his last ceremonies. Shitalben, his wife, who saw her husband killed, was upset during his farewell. She questioned the VIP culture of the administration.