Mumbai, Apr 23 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said six of the 26 people gunned down by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam town hailed from the state and their bodies are being brought back.

He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased hailing from the state.

Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, said he has deputed ministers to oversee the arrangements for bringing back the mortal remains of the tourists from the state.

The CM said six residents from Maharashtra, including natives from Mumbai and Pune, were among the 26 people killed in Tuesday’s terrorist attack in Pahalgam which he denounced as a cowardly act.

In a post on X, Fadnavis said the mortal remains of Sanjay Lele and Dilip Disle will be brought to Mumbai by an Air India flight from Srinagar.

“This flight will depart from Srinagar at 12.15 pm. The mortal remains of Kaustubh Ganavate and Santosh Jagdale will be brought to Pune in a flight that will depart at 6 pm. The flight carrying the mortal remains of Hemant Joshi and Atul Mone to Mumbai will leave Srinagar at 1.15 pm,” he said.

Cabinet ministers Ashish Shelar and Mangalprabhat Lodha will be at the Mumbai airport for coordination, while minister Madhuri Misal has been entrusted with the responsibility in Pune, he said.

Another cabinet minister Girish Mahajan is leaving for Srinagar, the CM said.

Arrangements are also being made to bring back other tourists from Maharashtra who are in Jammu and Kashmir, the CM maintained.

Meanwhile, Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi said the administration is coordinating with the families of the slain tourists, Kaustubh Ganavate and Santosh Jagdale, for their funeral.

“We are coordinating with the families to facilitate the last rites,” Dudi said.

A total of 264 tourists from Pune city and nearby areas had travelled to Jammu and Kashmir in recent days, and many of them are currently stranded at various locations across the Union Territory, he informed.

“Some of the tourists (from Pune) injured in the attack are undergoing treatment in hospitals (in J&K). We are in touch with them and extending all necessary support,” Dudi said, adding efforts are underway to bring back the stranded tourists by special flights.

“We are in talks with Pune Lok Sabha MP and Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol to arrange special flights for their return,” the collector added.

An official statement said the Maharashtra government is collecting details of other travellers from the state who are currently visiting Jammu and Kashmir, and contact has been established with 275 of them.

Efforts are being made with respect to their stay and further travel, it said.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said he is personally monitoring and coordinating the process to safely bring back travellers from the state.

Another Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, said the State Disaster Management helpline number has been activated and urged citizens to contact it for assistance to tourists and their relatives stuck in Kashmir.

The Disaster Management Cell will remain functional round the clock. Mortal remains of the terror attack victims from Maharashtra and Gujarat are being brought to Mumbai after which they will be sent to their homes in ambulances, he said.

Pawar urged citizens to contact 022-22027990 for information about tourists and their families stranded in Kashmir.

The deputy CM also provided helpline numbers of the help desk set up at Srinagar district collectorate — 0194-2483651, 0194-2463651, 0194-2457543 — and WhatsApp numbers – 7006058623, 7780805144, 7780938397 – for assistance.

A Shiv Sena team led by Abhijit Darekar — personal assistant to Kalyan Lok Sabha MP Shrikant Shinde — reached Srinagar on Tuesday night to assist with local arrangements and support the victims’ families, Eknath Shinde said.

Maharashtra ministers Gulabrao Patil and Yogesh Kadam will be present at the Mumbai airport to receive the mortal remains and ensure dignified handling and follow-up assistance, the deputy CM said.

“The government is working to evacuate tourists from Maharashtra who are currently stranded in Srinagar. A Shiv Sena team remains stationed in the region to provide continuous support,” Shinde maintained.

According to an official release in Thane, the Shiv Sena’s relief team has established contact with two groups of tourists, consisting of 40 and 55 individuals, respectively, who had travelled to Kashmir from Thane city and Dombivli.

“Arrangements are underway to facilitate their immediate return. The team is also actively reaching out to other Maharashtra tourists who are stranded in the region, with the aim of bringing them back to the state safely,” it said.

Deputy CM Shinde is personally overseeing the relief operation and has reiterated the government’s commitment to ensure the safe return of all tourists from Maharashtra, according to the release.

In a separate release, the Thane administration said tourists from the district are currently lodged in 6 different hotels in Jammu and Kashmir and belong to nine families. These travellers include women, children and senior citizens. PTI MR SPK PR COR RSY