Pune: “You’re a Muslim, So Were They — Why the Difference?” – Grieving Widow’s Question After Pahalgam Terror Attack

Pune, 24th April 2025: As the city of Pune grapples with the loss of one of its own in the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, a grieving mother’s question echoes through the heartbreak — “You are a Muslim, and so were the terrorists. Why is there such a vast difference between you and them?”

The question, asked by Sangita Ganbote, the widow of Kaustubh Ganbote, was not a statement of blame, but an emotional outcry — a desperate attempt to reconcile the love and loyalty she knew from Muslim friends with the violence carried out by extremist gunmen.

Kaustubh, a respected businessman from Kondhwa and the founder of a local snack (Farsan) brand was among the victims of the brutal attack. His body was returned home early in the morning under tight police security. As his final rites were performed, family, friends, and residents from across communities gathered to pay their last respects.

The mother’s question was directed at Shahrukh, Kaustubh’s close friend since college. Overcome with emotion, he spoke of the deep bond he shared with Kaustubh and the warmth and acceptance he had always received from the Ganbote family. “We were more than friends — we were like brothers,” he said, his voice breaking with grief.

Sangita recounted how several local Muslims — including their driver and Kashmiri horsemen — risked their lives to help victims during the attack. Upon hearing gunfire, they turned back without hesitation to aid the injured. “Those men were brave, kind, and selfless. The terrorists were nothing like them,” she said, her words offering an implicit defence of the faith so often misrepresented by acts of violence.

Neighbor Uday Singh Mulik remembered Kaustubh as a self-made man who built his snack business over 15 years with dedication and integrity. Just before the Kashmir trip, he had proudly installed a new signboard on his shop — a moment of joy that now stands as a haunting memory of his last days.

Among those who visited the bereaved family was Sharad Pawar, senior political leader, who offered condolences and listened as Sangita shared the chilling details of the attack. She described how the group tried to signal their non-combatant status — removing visible religious symbols — but the attackers showed no mercy. “We were alone… left to survive on our own,” she said. “That fear, that helplessness — it will never leave us.”