What Wives Of Pahalgam Massacre Victims Said About Operation Sindoor

India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of Wednesday, May 7, targeting at least nine "terrorist infrastructure" locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation was named 'Sindoor', the red vermilion traditionally worn by married Hindu women.

This comes weeks after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people. The attackers separated men from women, executed the men, and spared the women, leaving them to relay the incident to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Go, tell Modi," said one of the terrorists after shooting a man dead in front of his wife. 

The women who lost their husbands in the Pahalgam incident have responded to the operation.

"It's a befitting reply after the way those terrorists erased the vermilion of our daughters," said Pragati Jagdale, widow of Santosh Jagdale, in a statement to news agency ANI. "On hearing the name of this operation, I got tears in my eyes. I sincerely thank the government," she said.

Pune | On #OperationSindoor, Pragati Jagdale, wife of Santosh Jagdale who was killed in Pahalgam terror attack, says, "It's a befitting reply after the way those terrorists erased the vermilion of our daughters...On hearing the name of this operation, I got tears in my eyes. I… pic.twitter.com/F9AcqHWANk

— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2025

"Modi ji has shown Pakistan that we will not sit quietly. I feel, with Operation Sindoor, PM Modi will end terrorism," she added. 

#WATCH | Pune | Pragati Jagdale, wife of Santosh Jagdale, who was killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, says, "Modi ji has shown Pakistan that we will not sit quietly. I feel, with #OperationSindoor, PM Modi will end terrorism." pic.twitter.com/CVcVBwNZdX

— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2025

Ashanya Dwivedi, wife of Shubham Dwivedi, who was shot dead in the Pahalgam terror attack, told PTI, "I thank the government for taking revenge for my husband's death."

She continued, "This is the beginning of revenge. I know that Modi ji won't stop till he wipes them (terrorists) off completely. He has given us this much belief that all the terror spots will be destroyed. By naming this strike as 'Operation Sindoor', he has shown that we have taken the revenge being sought by us."

VIDEO | Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh: Here's what Ashanya Dwivedi, wife of Shubham Dwivedi, who was shot dead in the Pahalgam terror attack, says on #OperationSindoor:

"This is the beginning of revenge. I know that Modiji won't stop till he wipes them (terrorists) off completely. He… pic.twitter.com/NIpGcNBDFg

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 7, 2025

Sangita Ganbote, wife of Kaustubh Ganbote who was killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, told ANI, "The action taken by the military is good, and by naming it as Operation Sindoor, they have respected the women. I still cry some days. We were waiting for PM Modi to take such action, and he has given them a befitting reply. Terrorists should be eliminated."

#WATCH | #OperationSindoor | Kaustubh Ganbote lost his life in the #PahalgamTerrorAttack.

In Pune, his wife, Sangita Ganbote, says, "The action taken by the military is good, and by naming it as Operation Sindoor, they have respected the women. I still cry some days. We were… pic.twitter.com/2qyzq4iM4m

— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2025

Many others were also left widowed in the attack. Himanshi Narwal, just 24, had been married for six days when her husband Vinay Narwal, a Navy officer, was gunned down during their honeymoon.

Shital Kalathiya lost her husband Shailesh while on holiday with their two children. Sohini Adhikari witnessed her husband Bitan being shot in front of their three-year-old son.

Kajalben Parmar saw her husband Yatishbhai killed. Sheela Ramachandran stayed in Kochi due to ill health, only to learn her husband N Ramachandran had been killed in front of their grandchildren.

Jennifer Nathaniel watched her husband Sushil die shielding her, and Jaya Mishra saw her husband Manish Ranjan Mishra, an IB officer, gunned down in front of their children.

Pallavi Rao was on vacation with her husband Manjunath Rao and son Abhijay, when she witnessed her husband being shot in the head while buying snacks for their son.

The defence ministry will brief on Operation Sindoor in a press conference today.