The brave Ponywallahs of Kashmir: Meet the unsung heroes who rushed tourists to safety amidst Pahalgam terror attack

On April 22, a brutal terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, shook the country to its core. At least 26 civilians were killed in the attack, sending shockwaves through the nation. But amid the horror and confusion, a different kind of story emerged — one of immense bravery. In the absence of formal rescue teams during those critical first moments, it was the local ponywallahs of Kashmir who stepped in. These men, known for guiding tourists on horseback through the scenic trails of Pahalgam, became first responders in an unimaginable crisis.

“I was only thinking about the injured”

Meet Waheed, the head of the local ponywallah association, who didn’t wait for orders or reinforcements. He rushed to the scene of the attack, arriving even before the security forces. His words to Newslaundry speak volumes about the urgency of the situation: “When I reached there, I saw the injured and dead bodies lying around. The first thing I did was to save the injured.” With chaos all around and most vendors and workers fleeing the area, Waheed stood firm. “Everyone including the snack sellers, hawkers, and tour photographers had fled the area. When I reached there, there were only those who were either injured and those who were from the family or the relatives of the victims.” He and a few others worked for over an hour, helping to carry the wounded to safety, even as the threat lingered.

“I was only thinking about the injured, trying to save them. I did not have many people to help me with it but I brought all the injured back,” he said. He had to make the painful decision to leave the deceased behind for the authorities, a harsh reality of triage in such emergencies.

A hero remembered: Syed Adil Hussain Shah

Another heroic story to emerge is that of 28-year-old Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a ponywallah who lost his life trying to protect the very tourists he served every day. He was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard in Hapatnard village, Pahalgam, with hundreds in attendance to mourn and honour his bravery, as per PTI.

Shah’s younger brother, Syed Naushad Shah also spoke about how he found out: “When I heard about the attack, I started calling my brother. Nobody responded. At 5 pm, the local pony wallahs told me about his death,” he said. “A female tourist who was accompanying Adil told me that when my brother saw tourists being killed, he confronted the terrorists who shot him thrice. He died on the spot. We are in pain not only because of our brother’s death but also because of death of 25 innocent tourists”.

Shah’s father, Syed Haider Shah, also shared his devastation at the loss of his son. “He was young and kind among all the siblings. He left at 8 in the morning and did not come back. Many boys from this village go to Pahalgam to find some work, but who knew this was going to happen? The terrorists killed my son only because he confronted them and told them not to harm tourists,” he said.

According to a report by HT, the family received Shah’s body on Wednesday, and hundreds gathered to bid him a tearful goodbye. Among them was J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who acknowledged the fallen hero saying, “I visited Pahalgam today to offer ‘fatiha’ (prayer after burial) for brave-heart Shah, who was shot dead while trying to snatch a weapon from one of the terrorists in a courageous attempt to protect the tourists he had ferried on horseback from the parking area to Baisaran meadow.” Shah is survived by his wife, parents, two brothers, and three sisters — a family forever changed, yet immensely proud of the courage he displayed.