A family vacation to Kashmir turned tragic for Bitan Adhikary, an IT professional based in Florida, who was killed in a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Bitan had travelled with his wife Sohini and their three-year-old son for a holiday from April 16 to 24. The 35-year-old, originally from South Kolkata, had planned the trip to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Valley.
According to News18, the incident has left Bitan’s family in Kolkata devastated. His cousin, Dipak Chakraborty, said, “What will I tell his son? Where is his father? We can’t bear this pain. They went there to enjoy, not to die,” during a condolence visit by West Bengal Minister Arup Biswas.
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His uncle, Bimal Roy, told News18, “Sohini asked me, ‘Uncle what will I do, why did they do this?’ Everything is finished; what will we do now.”
The tragedy is particularly painful for Bitan’s parents, who fled religious violence in Bangladesh in the 1960s. His mother, Maya Adhikary, said: “We never imagined those days of riots would return. Back then, they asked us our religion. Today, they asked his religion. Oh God, the pain in my heart… it would have been better if I had died."
His father expressed concern about the family’s future. “He was the only one earning in our family. Who will buy me medicine now? He loved to travel—is that a crime?” he told News18.
Bitan’s wife and son are still in Kashmir. The West Bengal government is working to expedite the return of his mortal remains, News18 reported, citing administrative sources.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her condolences on social media. Posting on X, she said: “My heart goes out to the families of the victims of the devastating terrorist attack on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir today. One of the victims, Sri Bitan Adhikary, is from West Bengal. I have spoken to his wife over the phone. Though no words are enough to console her in this hour of grief, I have assured her that my government is taking all steps to bring his mortal remains back to Kolkata. My deepest condolences to all the families who have lost their loved ones in this inhuman act of terror."
Another tourist from West Bengal, Sudipto Das of Krishnanagar in Nadia district, was also in Pahalgam with his wife at the time of the attack. According to News18, they were visiting a Shiv temple in the 'Mini Switzerland' area and managed to leave the site immediately. The couple is currently safe in Srinagar, under the protection of the Indian Army.
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