A pall of grief and anguish has descended upon homes in Indore and Raipur as two more victims of the Pahalgam terror attack were laid to rest. Among the 26 innocent lives lost in one of Jammu and Kashmir’s most brutal civilian attacks in years, Sushil Nathaniel, a LIC branch manager from Indore, and Dinesh Miraniya, a businessman from Raipur, were mourned with tears, prayers, and renewed calls for justice.
In Indore, the Nathaniel household is shattered. Sushil, who had travelled to Kashmir with his wife and children on April 19, was shot dead by terrorists during a sightseeing trip at Baisaran. His daughter, Akanksha Nathaniel, suffered bullet injuries in her leg.
According to Jema Vikas, Sushil’s sister-in-law, the terrorists demanded that he recite the Kalma—an Islamic declaration of faith—on his knees. Sushil, a Christian, respectfully declined and urged his wife to move to safety. He was then shot dead on the spot, in front of his family.
“This was a targeted killing. They asked his name and faith before executing him. It is unimaginable,” Jema recounted.
Meanwhile, in Raipur, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai cut short an important meeting with industry leaders in Mumbai to attend the funeral of Dinesh Miraniya. The Chief Minister emphasized the Union Government’s resolve to deliver a strong response.
“India has always given a befitting reply to Pakistan. This time too, India will teach a lesson,” CM Sai stated in Raipur.
Dinesh’s relative, Vinod Agarwal, expressed outrage, calling the attack “an assault on Hindutva” and lamented that victims were identified by their names before being shot.
“This isn’t just an act of terror—it’s an attack on our identity. It is time to rise beyond politics,” Agarwal said, indirectly targeting political parties like the Congress for what he termed a history of soft-pedaling on such issues.
India’s Strong Diplomatic Response
In the wake of this massacre, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took decisive action:
- Suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960
- Immediate closure of the Wagah-Attari Integrated Check Post
- Persona Non Grata status to Pakistani Defence Advisors in New Delhi
- Suspension of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani nationals
This attack, drawing chilling comparisons to the 2019 Pulwama terror strike, has reignited a nationwide demand for uncompromising action against cross-border terrorism and its enablers.
As the Nathaniel and Miraniya families prepare to rebuild from this unfathomable loss, India watches with determination and solidarity—a nation united in mourning, and in resolve.