He wasn’t a soldier. He wasn’t armed. But when terrorists opened fire on tourists in Pahalgam, Syed Adil Hussain Shah tried to intervene. His final act of courage is now a symbol of selfless bravery.
BY PC Bureau
April 23, 2025
Tears, prayers, and grief marked the funeral of 26-year-old Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a pony ride operator from Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley, who lost his life during the terror attack that rocked the tourist hotspot on April 22. Among the mourners was Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who paid tribute to Shah’s bravery and assured the family of support.
“He tried to stop the attack. He probably tried to snatch a gun and then was targeted. We must take care of his family. The administration stands with them,” said Mr. Abdullah, visibly shaken.
Shah was ferrying tourists—many of whom were visiting the famed ‘Mini Switzerland’ for the first time—when the peaceful meadow turned into a battlefield. Eyewitness accounts and local reports confirm Shah was not a target; instead, he was killed while trying to shield a tourist and disarm one of the gunmen.
In a display of extraordinary courage, the young man attempted to intervene as armed terrorists began selectively targeting people based on their identity. He was shot dead on the spot—one of 26 innocent lives claimed in one of the deadliest attacks in the Valley in recent years.
पर्यटकों को घोड़े पर घुमाने वाले सैयद हुसैन शाह को भी आतंकियों ने गोली मार कर जान ले ली।
छलनी हुई मां बता रही हैं, “वह परिवार का अकेला कमाने वाला था…”#pahalgamattack #Kashmir pic.twitter.com/GGVCPilH1C
— Mukesh Mathur (@mukesh1275) April 23, 2025
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“He Was the Sole Breadwinner”
The emotional weight of the tragedy was evident in Shah’s father, Syed Haider Shah, who recounted the family’s desperate attempts to reach their son after news of the attack broke.
“We kept calling, but his phone was off. At 4:40 pm, the phone rang, but no one picked up. That’s when we rushed to the police,” he said. “Whoever did this must be punished.”
His mother, struggling to cope with the loss, cried inconsolably. “He was our only support. Oh Allah, what have you done?” she sobbed.
The Life and Work of Pony Ride Operators
Pony ride operators like Shah form the backbone of Pahalgam’s tourism economy. Operating in rugged, mountainous terrain, these men—often from the Gujjar and Bakarwal communities—guide tourists to Baisaran’s panoramic meadows on sturdy Himalayan ponies.
Tourism offers a seasonal lifeline to these operators, with potential earnings during peak months (May–July) reaching up to ₹6.75 lakh, according to estimates. Rides from Pahalgam to Baisaran typically cost around ₹1,320, with full-day packages sometimes going up to ₹3,700. But these figures don’t account for the long off-seasons, steep operational costs, or the growing security concerns that now loom larger than ever.
Maintaining a pony—its feed, saddle, care—can chip away at their modest income. The operators must also navigate an unregulated market where pricing inconsistencies and tourist complaints of scams occasionally tarnish their reputation.
Still, most of these men, like Shah, work with pride and integrity—offering not just transportation but a glimpse into Kashmiri hospitality and heritage.
A Dangerous Profession in a Volatile Region
Yesterday’s attack has cast a shadow over Kashmir’s tourism revival. The tragic irony that Shah, a local Muslim trying to protect Hindu tourists, was killed in a communal act of terror underscores the complex, painful realities of the region.
Despite the risks, pony ride operators continue to serve on the front lines of Kashmir’s tourism dream—welcoming visitors, guiding them through the Valley’s beauty, and now, sometimes, laying down their lives in its defense.
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A Promise of Support, A Call for Justice
As the funeral procession wound through Shah’s village, hundreds joined the family in mourning—not just for a son lost, but for the fear his death symbolizes. Chief Minister Abdullah’s presence and assurance brought some solace, but it is justice and lasting peace that the region still yearns for.
“This young man didn’t just die. He fought. He stood for what was right,” said a local elder. “He deserves to be remembered as a hero.”
The people of Baisaran and Pahalgam will remember Syed Adil Hussain Shah not just as a pony ride operator, but as a symbol of courage—a man who faced death not with fear, but with defiance. His life was humble, his sacrifice immense.
He didn’t just guide tourists through the hills. On his last ride, he tried to guide them to safety.
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