Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 26 : Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday paid tribute to Syed Adil Hussain Shah, who lost his life while trying to save tourists during the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
Shinde described Shah's heroic act, saying he attempted to snatch the terrorists' gun to protect the tourists.
"This is not about caste or religion. The tourists who were there were being shot at indiscriminately by these terrorists, and this person tried to save them. He even tried to snatch the gun from the terrorists to prevent the tourists from getting shot, However, another terrorist came and killed him," Shinde said.
Shinde revealed that he had spoken to Shah's family and assessed their difficult financial situation, as Shah was the sole earning member. To provide support, the Shiv Sena will offer the family Rs 5 lakh in financial aid.
"I also spoke to Adil's family at their house, his brother, and his father. Our people also reached there. He was the sole breadwinner for his family, a young boy, and their condition was not good. They came from a very ordinary family, so the Shiv Sena also helped them with 5 lakh rupees. This is a small responsibility, but it is our duty," added the Mahrashtra Dy CM.
Acknowledging the poor condition of the family's house, Shinde announced that Shiv Sena would build a new home for them.
"His house was in bad condition, and the Shiv Sena has decided to build him a new house. This is a duty we have taken on with a sense of responsibility," he added.
Meanwhile, Hyder Shah, father of Syed Adil Hussain Shah, said that he is proud of his son and his 'shahadat,' heroic sacrifice.
Speaking to ANI, Hyder Shah said that despite the heartbreak of losing his young son, he draws strength from Adil's act of bravery.
Hyder Shah described the moment they received the devastating news and said, "We got to know around 6 pm that my son and cousin were in a hospital. People who went looking for him informed me about the incident."
"I am proud of him and his shahadat (sacrifice). I am alive only because of that pride. Otherwise, I would have died the moment I saw his young, lifeless body," he said, fighting back tears.
He further said, "Adil's phone had been unreachable for hours following the attack. Hope briefly sparked when his phone showed activity around 4 pm, and they believed he was returning downhill. But soon after, the grim reality emerged."
Mother of Syed Adil Hussain Shah, the young pony handler, also spoke to ANI in deep anguish, mourning the loss of her eldest son and breadwinner, and pleading for justice for her shattered family.
Reeling from the shock, she recalled the last time she saw her son and the devastating news that followed.
She shared that their daily meals were often made possible by her son's modest earnings."He used to earn 300 rupees a day. We'd buy rice in the evening and eat together. He was my eldest. Now, who will bring food? Who will bring medicines?"
The Pahalgam Terror Attack has been one of the biggest terror attacks after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Following the terror attack, security forces have launched search operations on Wednesday to track down the terrorists responsible.