Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the family of Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a pony ride operator who is being hailed as a hero for sacrificing his life while protecting tourists during the Pahalgam terror attack.
Shah, the sole breadwinner of his family, earned his livelihood by taking tourists on horseback rides in the scenic region of Pahalgam in south Kashmir, where 26 people, mostly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists on April 22.
Deeply moved by the pony ride operator’s act of courage, Deputy CM Shinde, who was in Srinagar on April 23 to assist stranded tourists from Maharashtra, decided to personally provide financial assistance to the young hero’s family, an official release by his office in Thane stated on Friday.
A cheque of Rs 5 lakh was delivered to the Shah family by workers of the Shiv Sena, headed by Shinde, and officials from a border organization who travelled to Pahalgam for the purpose on Friday, said the release.
The deputy CM also spoke to Shah’s family via video conferencing, offering condolences and words of comfort. During the interaction, his brother recounted the harrowing details of the attack and the valiant efforts made by the young man to save the tourists.
-PTI
