Following her public comments expressing gratitude for the support she received from Kashmiris, Arathi, the daughter of N Ramachandran, a Malayali tourist who was sadly slain in the recent terror incident in Pahalgam, Jammu & kashmir, is now dealing with a new ordeal: a barrage of internet hate. In Baisaran, close to Pahalgam, terrorists opened fire on a party of visitors, killing 26 people, including Ramachandran, a resident of Kochi.

'I've 2 Brothers In kashmir Now': Arathi
In interviews with ANI and PTI, Arathi, who survived the attack, described the terrifying events. "When we heard the first gunshot, I asked my father about the sound," Arathi said, recalling the events leading up to her father's shooting.  "I'm not sure," he admitted.  We began to flee as we heard more gunfire.  We observed others running as well.  Overall, it was anarchy.  Suddenly, a man brandishing a gun appeared.  I told my father that the man was approaching us in a frenzy at this point.  Calmly, my father responded, "Let's see what happens." The man said 'Kalma' as he approached us.

The man shot my father when we expressed that we didn't comprehend what he was saying.
 
Arathi was really appreciative of the support she received in the aftermath, despite the trauma. Speaking to PTI, she commended the generosity of the people in the area, especially two men who assisted her during the dreadful hours that followed: sameer and Musafir, her driver.
 
"They helped with the legalities, escorted me to the mortuary, and supported me through it all. My two brothers are currently in Kashmir. "May Allah keep you both safe," she said to PTI.

Targeted For Gratitude
But regrettably, her words of gratitude have turned her into the object of hate on social media.  Her composed manner during interviews was ridiculed by a number of users, who also questioned her feelings and even accused her of being attention-seeking.  Others criticized her for mentioning the assistance she received from Kashmiris and Muslims in comments shared on social media.

One user on X wrote, "What does she mean by 'Kashmiris are helpful'?" while another accused her of betraying her community, saying, "Keralite proves demographic changes on them and der attitude towards der own community #betrayal came from insiders".

Despite the backlash, a section of netizens came forward in support of Arathi, commending her for her grace and composure in the face of unspeakable loss.

 

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