What began as a scenic family outing turned into a nightmare in Kashmir’s Pahalgam. The Hegde family from Karnataka-Pradeep, Shubha, and their 12-year-old son Siddhant-had just reached the stunning Baisaran meadows on April 22 when they paused for a quick snack. Siddhant insisted on eating Maggi noodles, unknowingly delaying them from moving toward the adventure zone.

As they ate, gunshots suddenly rang out. Terrorists had launched a brutal attack nearby, killing 26 people. Shubha had just returned from the washroom to finish her noodles. When she stood up to grab a bag they had left behind, a bullet zoomed past-grazing her hair and hitting the ground.

Shubha initially didn’t realise what had happened. “I felt something brush past my hair,” she said. “It was only when I turned and saw the bullet mark that I knew how close I had come.” That tiny moment-her movement to grab the bag-likely saved her life.

With chaos all around, the family ran for safety. Siddhant fell in the rush, but their horseman, who had hidden behind a tree, returned. He helped the boy onto a horse and secured two more for the parents. Together, they made a terrified but miraculous escape downhill-alive.