‘We were waiting for this day’: Family members of Pahalgam terror attack victims welcome Operation Sindoor

THANE: The family members of the three Dombivli residents who died in the Pahalgam terrorist attack welcomed the India’s “precision strike” on Wednesday targeting nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, while urging the central government to continue the military action till Pakistan-based terror modules were completely dismantled.

“We were eagerly waiting for this day,” said Harshal Lele, son of Sanjay Lele, one of the 26 Indian and Nepali civilians, mostly tourists, who were killed in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22 by what India claimed were Pakistan-backed terrorists. “I couldn’t sleep yesterday after getting to know that the Indian armed forces had attacked terror camps and kept on watching live feeds of the action on news channels,” he added.

Lele said that he and others in his family knew that it was just a matter of time before the Indian government took some action against the terrorists. “We felt a sense of peace and justice, but this was just one strike. India must continue such operations until terrorism is completely eradicated,” he said, while remembering how armed terrorists brutally killed tourists in Pahalgam, showing no mercy.

Hemant Joshi and Atul Mone, the two other Dombivli residents killed in the terror attack, were also Sanjay Lele’s relatives. Their family members said that the military strike by the Indian armed forces brought a sense of closure to them and offered true homage to their deceased loved ones.

Jayant Bhave, a relative of the three deceased, said that he too was waiting for a firm response by the Indian government, just like other members of his family. “When we learned about ‘Operation Sindoor’ at 3 am, we felt a wave of satisfaction. We are proud of the Indian Army and the government for this decisive action. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised a strong response, and the families trusted the government would stand by its word. India has shown our enemies that such acts will not go unanswered. We are confident this is just the beginning of a bigger crackdown on terror,” he added.

Anushka Mone, wife of Atul Mone, also voiced her support for the military operation. “This strike was not just a reply to the attack on tourists. It was a reply to the attack on India itself. Now is not the time for politics. The government and army deserve full support. Although no action can bring our loved ones back, the army has delivered justice. We are certain India will not rest until the terror network is completely dismantled,” she said.

Local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena leaders also hailed the strike, while residents joined in by distributing sweets on the streets in Dombivli and other urban areas of Thane district. The joy was visible across the area, as shopkeepers, rickshaw drivers and other citizens all expressed pride and relief over the military action.

India described the strikes, conducted between 1.05 am and 1.30 am on Wednesday, as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” avoiding Pakistani military facilities and civilian casualties. However, Pakistan claimed later in the day that 26 civilians, including women and children, were killed and 46 others were injured in the strikes. Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed said in a statement that 10 family members and four aides of its founder, Masood Azhar, were killed in the attack.