Berhampur family escapes terror attack by a day

Berhampur: A local businessman and his family from Berhampur narrowly escaped the terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday by leaving the Baisaran area just a day earlier.

Hari Narayan Mishra (50), along with his wife Mandakini and their two daughters, was on a 15-day family vacation when they decided to cut short their stay in Kashmir. The family had originally planned to spend two more days at Baisaran, but fatigue from extensive travel and deteriorating weather conditions forced them to change their plans.

"When we heard about the terror attack on Tuesday, we could not believe it had happened at the very spot where we had been enjoying ourselves just the day before," said Mishra, who reached Berhampur safely on Thursday.

The Mishras had left Odisha on April 10, visiting Mumbai and New Delhi before heading to Kashmir. Their itinerary included stops at popular tourist destinations such as Gulmarg and Baisaran, where they went horseback riding on Monday.

"The site was very peaceful, with tourists from across the country enjoying the picturesque scenery. The locals were extremely cooperative," Mishra said. However, heavy rains and landslides made them uncomfortable, prompting them to depart from Srinagar earlier than scheduled.

"It's nothing short of a miracle that we're alive," said Mandakini Mishra, adding that while the family is grateful for their escape, the trip would remain unforgettable for very different reasons.