Rishi Bhatt Viral Video: Gujarat Resident Recounts Pahalgam Attack Horror, Says Firing Started After Zipline Operator Said 'Allahu Akbar'

A chilling first-hand account of the Pahalgam terrorist attack has emerged in a viral video shared online. Rishi Bhatt, a tourist from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, was ziplining with his family when the attack broke out. His statement, captured on video, paints a grim picture of terror, chaos, and desperate survival.

"Firing started when I was ziplining... I did not realise this for around 20 seconds... I suddenly realised that a firing has started and people on the ground are being killed. I saw 5–6 people getting shot," Bhatt recalls.

He alleges that the zipline operator said “Allahu Akbar” thrice, moments before the shooting began

He alleges that the zipline operator said “Allahu Akbar” thrice, moments before the shooting began. According to him, nine tourists had used the zipline before him, and the operator did not say anything to them. But when his turn came, the man uttered the phrase, and the firing started almost instantly — raising suspicions about possible involvement or foreknowledge.

In the horrifying minutes that followed, Bhatt saw tourists being shot one by one, including members of two families who, he claims, were asked their religion and then executed in front of his wife and son. The family managed to escape after Bhatt unlatched his zipline belt mid-air and ran, clutching his terrified family members.

Bhatt says 15–16 people were shot before his eyes

"My wife and son were screaming. We saw a pit where people were hiding and joined them. When firing paused after 8–10 minutes, we ran toward the gate. Firing resumed, and more tourists were shot."

Bhatt says 15–16 people were shot before his eyes, and the Jammu & Kashmir Police and private guards were present at the gate but did little to protect the tourists.

He expressed deep gratitude to the Indian Army, who, he claims, arrived quickly and secured the entire area within 20–25 minutes, offering protection to the trapped civilians.

"We felt safe once the Army gave us cover. I’m grateful to them. But I have suspicions about that zipline operator," Bhatt added, noting that the man looked like a “regular Kashmiri.”

This video testimony has sparked sharp responses online and reignited discussions on tourist safety in Kashmir, especially after such targeted killings. The identity and role of the zipline operator are now likely to be under investigation.

As of now, the government and security forces have not officially responded to Bhatt’s claims.