Kolkata, Apr 22 (PTI) West Bengal minister Aroop Biswas on Tuesday met the family members of Bitan Adhikary, a 40-year-old IT professional from the state who was killed in a deadly terrorist attack near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, and assured them of all support in bringing back the body.

Adhikary had travelled to Kashmir last week with his wife and son for a holiday. While his family members are safe, he lost his life in the terror strike.

“The state Home Department and the Resident Commissioner in New Delhi are in touch with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Jammu and Kashmir government to ensure that the man’s body is brought back to the state at the earliest,” Biswas said after meeting the bereaved family at their residence.

“The body is currently at Srinagar General Hospital. It will be sent back after the post-mortem examination is completed,” he added.

A relative of the deceased said, “I spoke to my younger brother this morning. He told me that once he returned from Kashmir, we would plan an extended holiday nearby. We had no idea it would be the last time we’d speak.” The attack took place on Tuesday afternoon near a popular meadow close to Pahalgam town in Kashmir, leaving at least 26 people dead, most of them tourists.

A senior official confirmed that among the victims were two foreign nationals and two locals. He also warned that the death toll could rise as several of the injured remain in critical condition.

This has been described as the deadliest attack in Kashmir Valley since the Pulwama terror strike in 2019. PTI PNT ACD