Lagatar24 Desk
Kanpur: Ashanya, the widow of Pahalgam terror attack victim Shubham Dwivedi, has demanded ‘martyr’ status for her husband, asserting that he proudly sacrificed his life by openly identifying himself as a Hindu, allowing others to escape safely during the deadly attack.
“Proudly Sacrificed His Life,” Says Ashanya
“He proudly sacrificed his life by identifying himself as a Hindu and saved the lives of many people,” Ashanya told reporters on Saturday. “The first bullet hit my husband, and the terrorists wasted time asking whether we were Hindu or Muslim. That allowed many others to escape.”
Shubham Dwivedi, a 31-year-old businessman from Kanpur, had married Ashanya only two months earlier, on February 12. He was among the 26 victims, mostly tourists, killed on April 22 in the terrorist attack at the Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
Shubham was cremated in his native village in Kanpur on Thursday.
“Give Shubham Martyr Status,” Pleads Widow
“I do not want anything else from the government except that Shubham should be honoured with the status of a martyr. If the government accepts my request, I will have a reason to live,” Ashanya said emotionally.
Still grieving deeply for her husband’s loss, Ashanya also expressed anger and frustration, saying, “Anyone who shoots someone after asking their religion should be eliminated.”
Recounting the Horrifying Incident
Recalling the attack, Ashanya shared that she initially mistook the terrorists’ questions as a prank.
“As soon as the terrorists approached us, they asked whether we were Hindus or Muslims. I thought they were joking, turned around, laughed, and asked them what was happening. Then they repeated their question. The moment I replied we were Hindus, a shot was fired. Everything ended in seconds; Shubham’s face was covered in blood. I could not grasp what had just happened,” she narrated.
She also revealed how she pleaded with the attackers to shoot her as well, but they refused. “They said they were sparing me so that I could tell the government what they had done.”
Father Demands Answers on Security Lapses
Shubham’s father, Sanjay Dwivedi, criticized the absence of security personnel during the attack, alleging that Army personnel arrived and took control of the area only after an hour.
