Kolkata: In a tragic incident, Samir Guha, a resident of Sakher Bazar in Kolkata, lost his life in a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday.
According to his brother-in-law Subrata Ghosh, Guha was on a family trip with his wife and daughter, who are safe and expected to return to Kolkata by Wednesday night. “They were on a family vacation. My sister and niece are unharmed. Unfortunately, my brother-in-law lost his life. They are returning to Kolkata tonight.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed deep sorrow over the incident and extended her condolences to the bereaved families. In a message posted on X (formerly Twitter), she confirmed that three individuals from West Bengal were among the victims of the Kashmir violence: Bitan Adhikari from Baishnabghata, Samir Guha from Sakher Bazar, and Manish Ranjan from Jhalda in Purulia.
“This is a grim hour for all of us,” the Chief Minister said. “No words are enough to console the grieving families. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.”
She also assured that the state administration is providing all necessary assistance to the victims’ families. The West Bengal government has coordinated with officials at Delhi Airport and the Resident Commissioner’s Office to facilitate the return of the bodies and the families. The flight carrying the victims’ families is expected to reach Kolkata around 8:30 PM on Wednesday.
In response to the attack, the central government has ramped up efforts to review and strengthen security in the Pahalgam region. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), the apex decision-making body on national security matters, is scheduled to meet to discuss the incident.
The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will include Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, along with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Cabinet Secretary, and Defence Secretary.
Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday visited the attack site in Baisaran meadow, Pahalgam, conducting an aerial survey of the region before holding discussions with local security officials. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also held a high-level meeting with Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, NSA Doval, and other senior defence officials to assess the situation.
Further deliberations are expected during the upcoming CCS meeting as the government seeks to address security concerns in the region and prevent future incidents.
