Pahalgam attack: Sacred thread on wrist revealed slain IB officer's 'Hindu identity'

Kolkata, April 25 (IANS) Manish Ranjan Mishra, the slain Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer and one of the three tourists killed in the ghastly terror attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, was identified as a Hindu by the assassins after they spotted a sacred thread tied on his wrist.

This has been shared by the family members of the slain IB officer residing at his ancestral residence at Jhalda in Purulia district of West Bengal.

The event of Mishra being identified through the sacred thread tied to his wrist was narrated to the other family members by the widow of the slain intelligence officer, who was there at Pahalgam along with her deceased husband when the ghastly terror attack took place.

As per the version of Mishra's family members, the sacred thread came to the notice of one of the terrorists while he was trying to divert their attention and he was immediately shot dead.

It is learned that while the family members of the slain IB officer, especially his widow and children, remain in a state of shock, an air of mourning continues in the small town of Jhalda, with whom Mishra had his childhood roots.

In fact, the residents of Jhalda spontaneously observed a 12-hour strike in the town from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday in memory of Mishra.

All the shops and establishments in the town remained closed during that period.

His widow reached Jhalda along with the mortal remains of her slain husband on Thursday evening and thereafter, almost the entire town followed his mortal remains for the last journey to the crematorium.

Mishra was posted in Hyderabad, where he used to reside with his wife, son, and daughter. Before Hyderabad, he was posted at Ranchi and he recently got transferred to Hyderabad.

Mishra reached Pahalgam with his wife, son, and daughter and had plans to visit Vaishno Devi temple, confirmed by his other family members, who reside at Jhalda. He left Hyderabad for a holiday with his family on April 15.

As recalled by his school batchmates at Jhalda, Mishra was quite popular in his school days both among his teachers and friends, because of his composed behaviour generally, and more because of his cricketing skills.

--IANS

src/pgh