Pahalgam terror attack victim's wife demands 'martyr' status for husband: 'I will have a reason to live'

The deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam claimed 26 innocent lives, sending shockwaves through the nation. Among the deceased was Shubham Dwivedi, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur, who was on trip along with his wife to explore the picturesque beauty of Kashmir. 

Ashanya Dwivedi, the wife of Shubham Dwivedi, had demanded the status of martyr for her deceased husband. She said that her husband sacrificed his life to save others. "He proudly sacrificed his life by identifying himself as a Hindu and saved the lives of many people. The first bullet hit my husband, and the terrorists took time asking whether we were Hindu or Muslim... In such a situation, many people had time to run and save their lives," Ashanya told PTI. 

She said that she will get a reason to live if the government grants her husband the status of martyr. "I do not want anything else from the government except that Shubham should be given the status of a martyr. If the government accepts my wish, I will have a reason to live," Ashanya stated. 

As many as 26 people were killed after terrorists opened fire at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on April 22, i.e., Tuesday. 

"Thought it was a prank" 

Ashanya shares that when terrorists approached them and asked Shubham about his religion, she thought it was a prank. "As soon as they came, one of them asked if we were Hindus or Muslims? I thought those people (terrorists) were playing a prank. I turned back, laughed and asked them what was going on. Then they repeated their question, and as soon as I replied that we were Hindus, a shot was fired and everything was over for me. Shubham's face was covered in blood. I could not understand what had happened," she said.

She further revealed that she had asked the terrorists to kill her too, but they refused and asked her to "go tell this to Prime Minister Modi". 

Meanwhile, the Indian government has taken a series of countermeasures to curb cross-border terrorism backed by Pakistan. Probe into the Pahalgam terror attack has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).