'We're Indian Army’: Soldiers assure Pahalgam tourist who mistook them as terrorists and begged - 'Please don’t hurt my child'

The tourists in Pahalgam, who are still in fear after the terror attack on Tuesday, initially mistook Indian Army officials as the terrorists who had opened fire on them. The confusion and chaos were captured on camera and has now gone viral on social media.

The video shows the survivors being confronted by Indian Army soldiers, who had arrived to secure the area. In their panic and trauma, some of the tourists began pleading for their lives, mistaking the soldiers for the attackers.

Terrified, a woman mistook Indian soldiers for terrorists and begged them not to harm her child.They said, Were here to protect you. We are the Indian ArmyJust imagine the trauma they went through#Pahalgam #PahalgamTerroristAttack pic.twitter.com/I5RSzzSJ8K
Akshay Akki (@FollowAkshay1) April 23, 2025

A woman, in fear, broke down in tears and begged, “Please don’t hurt my child,” while her young son was crying, and calling for his father. Witnesses believe the woman may have lost her husband in the attack. Later, the soldiers offered her water and tried to calm her down.

The Army officials attempted to reassure the group, with one soldier heard saying, “We’re Indian Army. We are here to protect you.”

According to reports, five to six terrorists fired on civilians, killing at least 26 people, most of whom were tourists.

Among the victims were two foreign nationals from the UAE and Nepal, as well as two local residents. The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called it “much larger than anything we've seen directed at civilians in recent years.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his official visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to Delhi, where he met with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Modi has vowed justice, saying those responsible “will not be spared.”