In a twist of fate, a Kerala-based tourist family narrowly survived the brutal terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, simply because their lunch was delayed owing to excess salt in the food.
The assault, killing 26 innocent people, has caused shockwaves within the nation. In reply, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security, leading to a decision to considerably lower diplomatic relations with Pakistan. As the country waits for the next move from the government and army, a miraculous survival account has emerged from the disaster.
How a Salty Meal Saved Lives
The 11-member family from Kerala was on a holiday trip in Kashmir and traveling to the tourist spot of Baisaran near Pahalgam when the attack occurred. Lavanya, one of the members of the family, told The Times of India about how a very ordinary incident turned their life upside down.
“That afternoon, we stopped for lunch, but the fried rice served had way too much salt,” Lavanya recalled. “The taste was off, so we requested the restaurant to remake the food. That delayed our journey by nearly an hour.”
If the family hadn’t been delayed by the salty meal, they would have arrived at the location about the same time terrorists attacked, targeting tourists for their religion.
A Close Call
The family—comprising Elby George, his wife Lavanya, their kids, Lavanya’s parents, cousins, and their kids—had traveled from Kochi on April 18 and gone to Gulmarg and Sonamarg before heading to Pahalgam on April 23.
As they ultimately made their way to the meadow outside Baisaran, they saw panic all around. “People were screaming, taxis were fleeing, and it was clear something terrible had happened,” Lavanya said. Only from calls by relatives did they discover a terror attack had just taken place precisely where they had planned to go.
‘God Added Extra Salt to Save Us’
The shaken family immediately returned to their resort, where they spent a sleepless night. “Looking back, it feels like God added that extra salt just to save us,” Lavanya said, still reeling from the close call.
As the region remains tense and security is heightened, this miraculous escape has become a rare sliver of relief amidst a national tragedy.
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