Moscow, Apr 29 (PTI) Led by Vinay Kumar, the Indian ambassador to the Russian Federation, Moscow-based members of the Indian diaspora paid tribute to the 26 victims of the Pahalgam attack by observing a minute’s silence and expressing condolences to the bereaved families.

In a packed DP Dhar Hall of the Indian Embassy, the Indian community was joined by Tatiana Shaumyan, a Padma Shri recipient and head of the India Centre of the Institute of Oriental Studies and Research, who expressed solidarity with the people of India in combating terrorism.

Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam last week.

Ambassador Kumar expressed anguish at the dastardly terror attack on civilians.

In a democratic country with a pluralistic society such as India, it is natural to have divergent views, he noted.

“We have numerous platforms for peacefully voicing dissent,” he said, deploring terrorist violence.

Speaking at the condolence meeting, the Brahma Kumaris’ Moscow chapter chief Sudha Didi urged for transforming the condolence meeting into a peace assembly. PTI VS SZM