Naveen Chaudhary, a tourist from Chhindwara district, had a narrow escape during the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Just moments before the incident, Naveen was capturing the scenic beauty of the region on his phone, unaware that he was standing mere steps away from an imminent assault that would plunge the area into panic and chaos.
While talking to The Pioneer, Naveen said, he was exploring Pahalgam on Saturday afternoon when he purchased bhel from a roadside shop. Barely five minutes after leaving the shop, gunfire erupted, triggering a stampede. Disturbingly, the same shop he had just visited came under attack, underscoring the narrow margin by which he escaped harm.
He described how the peaceful surroundings were abruptly shattered by the sound of gunshots. Initially mistaking the noise for something minor, he only realized the seriousness of the situation when screams echoed around him and people began fleeing in fear. "Everything unfolded so quickly," he recalled. "There was no time to think-only to run."
A resident of Banka village in Chaurai Tehsil, Naveen had traveled to Kashmir to attend a seminar organized under an agricultural department initiative. A video he had been filming moments before the gunfire began has since gone viral on social media, starkly illustrating the shift from serenity to terror.
Reflecting on his experience, Naveen said, "I never imagined that I would come so close to death. Had I stayed a few minutes longer, I might not be alive today. I truly believe it was divine intervention that saved me."
Naveen is currently safe and in stable condition. He has confirmed that he will return to Chhindwara on Sunday.