Chhattisgarh: Nearly six months after saving a family from Chhattisgarh during the Pahalgam attack in South Kashmir, a local Kashmiri guide, Nazakat Ahmed Shah, was given a heartfelt welcome in the state. The April attack claimed 26 lives and left several injured.
Shah, whose family has been travelling to undivided Madhya Pradesh and now Chhattisgarh for over three decades to sell clothes, had rescued the family of Arvind Agrawal, a BJP youth wing worker, when militants opened fire in Pahalgam, The Indian Express reported.
On his first visit to Chhattisgarh since the tragedy, Shah was greeted warmly by Agrawal and other families from Chirmiri in the Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district who had been caught in the crossfire.
Recalling the harrowing incident, Agrawal said Shah’s quick thinking saved multiple lives. “When firing began, Nazakat asked us to lie down and shield my daughter and my friend’s son. He then carried them to safety before going back to help my wife,” Agrawal was quoted as saying.
During Thursday’s felicitation, nearly 50 people welcomed Shah with bouquets and garlands. “We were overjoyed to see him again,” Agrawal told The Indian Express, adding that Shah later joined his family for lunch.
Speaking to reporters, Shah expressed gratitude for the affection he received. “I want to thank the media and the people of Chhattisgarh. We’ve been coming here for years, and it feels like home. I’m glad we stayed in touch after the incident,” he said.
Remembering the day of the attack, Shah recalled, “I was playing with a child from Agrawal’s group while the family was making reels when we suddenly heard gunshots. At first, we thought they were firecrackers, but the sound grew louder. I told everyone to lie down. There was chaos, people were screaming, and some managed to run. I helped as many as I could reach to safety.”
