Pune: “They Wiped My Sindoor” – Widow of Pahalgam Terror Victim Backs Army’s ‘Operation Sindoor’

Pune, 7th May 2025: As the nation reels from the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack that claimed 26 lives, voices of grief and resilience continue to emerge. Among them is Pragati Jagdale, a resident of Karvenagar and widow of Santosh Jagdale, who was one of the victims of the April 22 massacre in Jammu and Kashmir.
The attack targeted tourists, leaving the country in mourning and triggering widespread demands for retaliation.

In a powerful and emotional statement, Pragati endorsed the Indian Army’s retaliatory strike—”Operation Sindoor”, a precision military offensive launched to target and dismantle nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

“When we visited Pahalgam, I was Pragati Santosh Jagdale. No one can truly understand the significance of a woman’s sindoor. In the Pahalgam attack, cowardly terrorists wiped away my sindoor,” she said, her voice both trembling and resolute.

Pragati said that the naming of the military response as ‘Operation Sindoor’ deeply resonated with her.
“Fifteen days after the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi named the mission ‘Operation Sindoor.’ He must have realized that these terrorists had erased the sindoor of many daughters of this country.”

She added that the action was not only justified but essential.
“This offensive must not stop until every terrorist is eliminated. Just as they killed our people, they must be killed. That will be the true tribute to the victims.”

A Nation in Mourning, A Nation Responds
The Pahalgam attack—India’s deadliest since 26/11—left behind shattered families and deep scars. Among the deceased were 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali tourist, many of whom were on vacation with their families when the terrorists struck.

In response, Operation Sindoor, carried out today, was aimed at crippling the infrastructure of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen. According to official statements, all nine identified launchpads and training centres were successfully destroyed.

The naming of the mission has taken on symbolic weight. “Sindoor” — a traditional symbol of marriage in Indian culture — has become an emblem of loss and justice, particularly for the women whose lives were upended by the attack.

Pragati’s words have struck a chord across the country, highlighting the personal devastation wrought by terrorism and the deep emotional impact of state-led countermeasures.