When Valley holiday turned a death trap

Ashish Ghosh Roy, a director at the Geological Survey of India, lost four of his family members including his wife, Kaberi. Roy, in his 40s, has been critically injured. His other three relatives have been identified as Pratima Bhattacharya, Chaya Bhattacharya and Sandip Bhattacharya.

The other victims are Bandana Halder and Purabi Das Majumder, the sister and wife of Subir Das Majumder, also a resident of Dum Dum Park and the main tour organiser.

Roy has won many accolades at home and abroad for his disaster management skills. ‘‘I tried to dissuade him from the Kashmir trip in view of the last attack. But he would not listen. We have now lost four members of our family,’’ said his grieving 84-year-old grandmother.

In Writers’ Building, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said his government was doing everything possible to get the bodies back as soon as possible. But, he added, ‘‘we cannot ask the tourists not to visit Kashmir.’’

State Tourism Minister Manab Mukherjee, accompanied by a team of officers, has left for Srinagar to oversee the arrangements.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was visiting the city, also expressed his grief at the attack and offered his condolences to the victims’ relatives.

Meanwhile, tour operators reported cancellation of bookings for Jammu and Kashmir.

AN ANGRY VALLEY

Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha: ‘‘These barbaric acts vitiate Kashmir’s glorious tradition and are an attack on the economy of the Valley. It is the handiwork of those hellbent on shattering the economy of the Valley that has shown signs of improvement.’’

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad: ‘‘It is a clear proof that terrorists responsible for these acts are the real enemies of Kashmiris and are out to destroy the economy of the people, who have already suffered a lot during the years of violence. The time has come for all to rise to the occasion and rid the state of the culture of violence, which has given nothing.’’

Deputy CM Muzaffar Hussain Beig: ‘‘These acts are against the basic tenets of humanity, hospitality and tolerance. On one hand, these give the centuries old Kashmiri hospitality a bad name and one the other, deal a serious blow to the tourist trade in Kashmir.’’

Former CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed: ‘‘The elements behind such attacks seem to be bent upon sabotaging the peace process as they have developed a vested interest in bloodshed and want it to continue.’’

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti: ‘‘By resorting to such inhuman acts the perpetrators are not only shedding the blood of innocents but also adding to the miseries of Kashmiris by hitting at their economy.’’