Who was Syed Adil Hussain Shah? Know about Kashmiri Muslim who sacrificed his life to save Hindu tourists

Syed Adil Hussain Shah, Pony Rider

When the suspected terrorists of The Resistance Front attacked tourists in Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam Valley and gunned them down after asking their name or religion, they did not spare local pony wallah Syed Adil Hussain Shah. The 29-year-old pony ride operator from Hapatnar village in Anantnag district was killed after he tried to stop one of the terrorists and asked him why he was killing innocent people. It was one of the deadliest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, where 25 other people besides Syed Adil were killed in a cold-blooded murder. 

Kashmiri Muslim from Hapatnar

The Kashmiri Muslim man worked as a pony handler, he earned his livelihood ferrying tourists on horseback from the car park to the Baisaran meadow. By escorting the tourists to the scenic uphill area accessible only by foot or pony, Syed Adil could earn a paltry sum of Rs 400-500 daily. He did not own a pony and worked for a pony owner for a pittance. The sole breadwinner for the family had to take care of his elderly parents, wife, young children, and sisters. The family had no financial safety net, and the ponywallah lived in modest conditions in Hapatnar, a remote village about 35 km from Pahalgam.

Syed Adil Hussain Shah takes on terrorists

Syed Adil Hussain Shah was a kind, hardworking, and daring man who tried to stop the massacre with empty hands. His sister Asma told journalists that Adil was always ready to support others, while locals praised his embodiment of “Kashmiriyat”, a cultural ethos of hospitality and peace still prevalent in the state.

Syed Adil shot in chest 

When 5-7 militants from the TRF, armed with M4 carbines and AK-47s, descended on Baisaran meadow and opened fire on tourists enjoying the sun, surrounded by pine forests, Syed Adil was present there with his pony. The terrorists targeted non-Muslims, reportedly asking their names, demanding victims recite the Kalama, or inspecting for circumcision to identify whether they were Muslims. Syed Adil Hussain Shah confronted them. If media reports are to be believed, he tried to shield a tourist he was with and attempted to snatch a rifle from one of the attackers. He paid its price; he was shot multiple times in his chest. 

Defender of ‘Kashmiriyat’

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah joined a hundred of the residents in offering the “fatiha”, the last Islamic prayer offered before cremation. He heaped praise on his brave heart and promised help to his family. Syed Adil Hussain Shah emerged as an icon of “Kashmiriyat” and the mourners emphasised his sacrifice as a defense of tourists against violence.