Thane: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday assured that all possible help would be extended to the kin of the three men from Thane district who lost their lives in the horrific Pahalgam terror attack.
Shinde, who also heads the Shiv Sena, visited the bereaved families of Sanjay Lele, Hemant Joshi, and Atul Mone, who were among the 26 people, mostly tourists, killed by terrorists in Pahalgam in Kashmir’s Anantnag district on April 22.
Visibly moved after hearing the harrowing accounts from the victims’ families, he expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss.
“All three earning members of these families have been lost in this brutal act. It is an extremely painful incident,” he said while speaking to the media following his visit.
Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde and a few Shiv Sena leaders accompanied him during the visit to Dombivali.
“A member of the family was killed right in front of their loved ones. Such cruelty is unforgivable,” said the deputy CM.
The Maharashtra government and his party are committed to supporting the three families, he said. “We will ensure complete cooperation in matters of education, employment, and welfare for the children and dependents of these families,” he assured.
Shinde said CM Devendra Fadnavis has also met with the families of Sanjay Lele, Hemant Joshi, and Atul Mone to extend his condolences and guarantee all possible support.
He said Joshi was his supporter, while Lele’s family is closely associated with Sena’s deputy district chief Rajesh Kadam. “These families are like our own. We will ensure that none of their needs go unmet,” Shinde said.
MP Shrikant Shinde said India is ready to answer in the language Pakistan understands, referring to the Centre’s stance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said that since the abrogation of Article 370, Kashmir had seen signs of stability and growth, but some destructive forces were unhappy with this progress. “This attack was a desperate attempt to disrupt peace, but those responsible will face strict punishment,” he added.
