Sthapak also acknowledged this in a social media post and wrote, “Nazakat Bhai, you not only saved my life that day, you kept humanity alive. I will never forget you for the rest of my life.”

While Dal Lake remains lively with visitors enjoying the picturesque landscape of the valley, nearby Pahalgam appears deserted, with a heavy security presence replacing the usual tourist crowds

Scores of tourists returned safely to Mumbai on April 24 after a terror attack in Kashmir claimed over two dozen lives, most of them from Maharashtra. The returning tourists were greeted with white roses and chocolates by local politicians at the Mumbai international airport.