Tearful homecoming: Mortal remains of Karnataka victims of Pahalgam terror attack reach Bengaluru

The quiet of the early hours at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport was pierced only by grief as the mortal remains of three Karnataka residents, killed in the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, arrived from Srinagar shortly after midnight. Families stood in anguish, holding back tears as they received the bodies of their loved ones—victims of one of the deadliest civilian attacks in the region in recent times.

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Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, who was coordinating with the Union Home Ministry to facilitate the repatriation, was present at the airport. He traveled with the bereaved families from Srinagar to Bengaluru, ensuring their safe return amid the aftermath of the violence.

“Three innocent lives from Karnataka were lost in a brutal and senseless terror strike in Pahalgam,” Surya told reporters. “We worked closely with the Home Ministry, local officials, and the state government to bring the families and the mortal remains back safely.”

Who are the three victims?

The tragedy has left a trail of heart-wrenching stories. One of the victims, Bharat Bhushan, was shot dead in front of his wife and young son. The child, just three years old, is too young to grasp the reality of death. Manjunath, a realtor from Shivamogga, was on his first family trip by air—one that tragically became his last. His teenage son had just passed his Class 12 exams with flying colours. His wife, visibly shaken, was seen wearing a jacket stained with her husband’s blood—a memory she said she would never wash away.

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The third victim, Madhusudhan, a Bengaluru-based techie, was vacationing with his family when he was gunned down. His mortal remains were transported to his native town of Nellore via Chennai.

“The body of Shri Manjunath is being taken to Shivamogga, Shri Bharat Bhushan’s remains to his home in Mathikere, and Shri Madhusudhan’s to Nellore,” Surya added.

Meanwhile, over 40 tourists from Karnataka remain stranded in Kashmir following the attack. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has directed officials to arrange a special flight to bring them home safely. “Ensuring the safety of every Kannadiga in the Valley is our top priority,” he said in a post on social media platform X.