Gurugram, April 26 In a powerful show of grief and national solidarity, students and teachers in Gurugram on Saturday performed 'hawan (Vedic fire ritual)' for all the Pahalgam terror attack victims and staged a protest demanding strict action against those responsible for the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), which claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
Among those killed was a local Muslim pony operator who tried to protect the tourists and was shot in the chest by the terrorists.
The emotional and symbolic protest began at Dayanand Adarsh Vidyalaya in Sector 4 and culminated in front of the residence of the Gurugram Deputy Commissioner.
The demonstration was organised by members of Arya Samaj and local educational institutions.
Students, some as young as 10, participated alongside their teachers in the 'hawan' ceremony held on school grounds, praying for the souls of the deceased and calling for peace.
Following the ritual, the group marched through the streets of Gurugram, holding placards and chanting slogans against terrorism.
The incident in Pahalgam, where victims were reportedly singled out based on their names and religion before being brutally killed, has triggered nationwide outrage. Gurugram’s youth-led protest is part of this growing wave of public anger.
Protestors demanded that the Indian government take swift and stern action against the perpetrators of the massacre and their sponsors.
“This protest is not just a local event, it’s part of a national outcry,” said Laxman, one of the organisers.
“Our brothers were asked their names and their religion, then killed. Today, the whole of India is angry,” said another organiser.
Naveen Lal Arya, another protestor, said, “We’ve come together with our students to send a clear message. We must not only be vigilant against external enemies but also identify and remove the enemies from our country. This hawan and protest are expressions of that determination.”
Chandra Prakash Gupta, also part of the demonstration, directly addressed the government, urging strong retaliation.
“These atrocities against Hindus cannot be forgotten. We want Prime Minister Modi to respond so that Pakistan remembers this lesson forever," he added.
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