‘Go tell this to Modi’: Terrorists told Karnataka woman after killing husband in Pahalgam attack

A real estate entrepreneur from Karnataka’s Shivamogga was killed in the Pahalgam terrorist attack on Tuesday afternoon, while his wife was left alive by the terrorists to send a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The victim, Manjunath, had travelled to the valley with his wife Pallavi and their young son. “Three of us, me, my husband and our son, had gone to Kashmir. We were at Pahalgam when the terrorists attacked at around 1 pm. My husband died on the spot, in front of my eyes,” Pallavi told India Today.

Last video of Karnataka Businessman! Manjunath Rao, from Shivamogga killed in Pahalgam terror attack in front of his wife & son"Kill me too, youve already killed my husband," said Pallavi"Wont kill you. Go tell this to Modi," a terrorist replied#Pahalgam#ManjunathRaopic.twitter.com/2gT0tum5RH

Ishani K (@IshaniKrishnaa) April 22, 2025

Pallavi said that local residents rushed to her aid right after the attack. “Three locals came to my rescue,” she recalled. According to her, the attackers seemed to be targeting Hindus. “Three to four people attacked us. I told them – kill me too, you have already killed my husband. One of them said, ‘I will not kill you. Go tell this to Modi’.”

She urged the authorities to speed up bringing her husband’s body back to Shivamogga. “It is not easy to bring the body down — it needs to be airlifted. We want it brought back without delay,” she said.

In one of the couple’s final videos, they can be seen enjoying their trip. They mentioned that they had spent the previous night on a houseboat and were taking a shikara ride when the video was recorded.

According to several media reports, 26 people, mostly tourists, died and over 20 were injured in the terrorist attack.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday condemned the attack and reaffirmed the government’s resolve to combat terrorism. He has curtailed his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia. He is now expected to return to Delhi early Wednesday, ahead of his scheduled Wednesday night departure.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Srinagar and was briefed by local authorities about the attack. His visit follows a phone call with the Prime Minister, during which he was urged to assess the situation on the ground and ensure all necessary measures are taken.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in a post on X, condemned the attack. “Kannadigas are among the victims of this shocking incident. Upon receiving the news, I convened an emergency meeting and reviewed the situation with the Chief Secretary and senior police officials. I have also spoken to the Resident Commissioner in Delhi,” he wrote.

“We are closely monitoring the developments. All necessary support will be extended. Please be assured, the Government of Karnataka stands firmly with those affected,” he added.