Pahalgam attack survivor Pooja Agrawal undergoes medical examination in Raipur; family hails local hero

RAIPUR : Pooja Agrawal , wife of Arvind Agrawal from Chirmiri in Chhattisgarh and a survivor of the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack , underwent a thorough medical examination at Raipur’s Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Hospital , where doctors diagnosed a minor fracture in her right shoulder.

Pooja was injured while rushing to save her daughter during the April 22 attack at Baisaran Valley in Jammu and Kashmir. The family credited businessman Nazakhat Bhai , who was part of their group, for intervening during the attack and helping them safely escape.

Pooja had sustained a minor fracture in her right shoulder while scrambling to escape during the attack at Baisaran Valley in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22. According to orthopaedic expert Dr Pranay Shrivastava, the injury was caused when Pooja, in a rush to save herself, tried to cross a fence and fell.

Speaking to TOI, Arvind Agrawal said, “Pooja underwent an orthopaedic examination at Ambedkar Hospital. X-rays of her right shoulder and spine were conducted immediately upon arrival. Dr Srivastava from the Orthopaedics Department carried out a thorough examination and diagnosed a minor fracture in her right shoulder, which is causing her pain.”

Hospital Superintendent Dr Santosh Sonkar informed that Pooja has been provided all necessary medications and has been advised to attend follow-up visits. Given the trauma the family experienced, hospital staff also offered counseling and reassured them of continued support.

Recalling the terrifying sequence of events, Arvind said they had traveled to Kashmir in a group comprising four couples and three children. “We were accompanied by Kuldeep Sthapak, his wife Purva Sthapak, and their child Lavis Sthapak; Shrivansh Jain, his wife Shreya Jain, and their child Prarabh Jain; and Happy Wadhavan and his wife Riya Wadhavan,” he said.

On April 22, while they were busy with a photoshoot at Baisaran Valley, Arvind’s four-year-old daughter, Samriddhi Agrawal, suddenly ran away. Moments later, they heard a loud noise, which they initially mistook for a firecracker. Pooja, aware that Samriddhi was scared of such sounds, immediately ran toward her daughter, followed by Kuldeep and Lavis.

“They were around 100-150 feet away from me when the second sound came, confirming it was gunfire,” Arvind recounted. “I saw a militant standing near my family and friends, seemingly asking them something, though I couldn’t hear the conversation from that distance.”

It was at that crucial moment that Nazakat Ahmed Saha intervened. A businessman who often visited Chirmiri for work, Nazakhat had joined the group during their trip on April 18. “Nazakat Bhai rushed to the spot and intervened. Had he not been there, the situation could have been much worse,” said Arvind, visibly emotional while recalling the incident.

Arvind further shared that Nazakat not only helped diffuse the situation but also safely led the group away from the danger zone and assisted them in reaching the airport. “On the way, my daughter also fell ill, but with God's grace and Nazakat’s help, we made it home safely,” he said. Syed, who died in the Pahalgam terrorist attack while saving the terrorists, was the cousin of Nazakat, Arvind said.

Expressing his gratitude, Arvind said, “We thank God for saving us and pray for the souls who lost their lives in this horrific attack. We will forever be indebted to Nazakat Bhai for his courage and timely help.”