Pune Mourns Loss Of Two Locals Killed In Pahalgam Terror Attack; Survivor Recounts Harrowing Ordeal
Pune, 24th April 2025: In the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, 28 tourists were killed, including six from Maharashtra. Among the deceased were Pune residents Santosh Jagdale and Kaustubh Ganbote. Their bodies were flown to Pune early Thursday morning, where hundreds gathered to bid them a final farewell. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-Sharad Pawar Faction) leader Sharad Pawar met with both grieving families and offered his condolences.
Kaustubh Ganbote’s wife shared a chilling account of the incident with Pawar. “When the terrorists attacked, we tried to save our lives by removing our bindis and throwing them away,” she said. “They asked us if we were Muslims—‘Azaan aati hai kya?’—and we all started loudly chanting the Azaan. We even shouted ‘Allahu Akbar.’ But they still killed our people. They even shot someone who was Muslim. My husband’s friend was hiding in a corner—they called him out and asked if he knew how to recite the Azaan, then killed him too.”
She continued, describing their escape. “We ran barefoot. Our feet sank into knee-deep mud. Thankfully, our horsemen—who were Muslims—returned to help us. Even the driver we hired stood by us till the end. Many locals came to our aid afterward.”
Kaustubh Ganbote and Santosh Jagdale had been close friends for many years, and their families were traveling together on the ill-fated trip. The Ganbote family, known in Pune for their traditional snack business, is well recognized in the city.
Both Ganbote and Jagdale will be cremated together at Vaikunth crematorium, as Pune prepares to pay its respects to the victims of yet another senseless act of terror.
