Pahalgam terror attack: Arunachal IAF Corporal among victims; CM condoles death
Hailing from Tajang village in Lower Subansiri district, Hailyang was vacationing in Baisaran Valley with his wife
Corporal Tage Hailyang a 30-year-old Indian Air Force personnel from Arunachal Pradesh died in Pahalgam attack.
Guwahati, Apr 23: Corporal Tage Hailyang, a 30-year-old Indian Air Force personnel from Arunachal Pradesh, was among the 26 people killed in the deadly terror attack that rocked Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.
Hailing from Tajang village in Lower Subansiri district, Hailyang was on vacation with his wife when terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists in the picturesque Baisaran Valley.
Corporal Hailyang, who was posted at the Srinagar Air Force base, was fatally shot during the ambush. His wife survived the attack.
Expressing deep grief, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu paid tribute to the fallen airman and extended condolences to his family.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Corporal Tage Hailyang of the Indian Air Force, a brave son of Arunachal Pradesh… His life was cruelly taken in a senseless act of terror,” Khandu posted on a popular micro-blogging platform.
The attack, one of the deadliest in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama bombing, also claimed the life of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, a 26-year-old Navy officer from Haryana.
He was honeymooning with his wife after their wedding on April 16.
Victims of the attack hailed from multiple states, including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu.
At least 20 others were injured in the assault, which eyewitnesses described as chaotic and traumatising.
Survivors, many of whom saw the terrorists dressed in Indian Army fatigues, were left shaken and only calmed down after receiving reassurances from security forces.
The brazen daylight attack has prompted a swift response from the Centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, cut short his trip and returned to New Delhi early Wednesday.
Upon landing, he held an urgent meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri at the airport.
The Prime Minister is expected to chair a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting later in the day to assess the security implications of the attack and discuss further countermeasures.