In a decisive counter-terror move, India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of Wednesday, May 7, striking at least nine terror-linked infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation was named “Sindoor”—a poignant reference to the red vermilion traditionally worn by married Hindu women—as a heartfelt tribute to the numerous women widowed by the harrowing April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 civilian lives.
That massacre saw militants separate men from women before executing the men in cold blood, telling the survivors to deliver a chilling message: “Go, tell Modi.”
Now, as images and reports from the operation emerge, the widows of the slain have responded with emotion and gratitude.
Pragati Jagdale, who lost her husband Santosh in the Pahalgam attack, told ANI, “It’s a fitting answer. The terrorists wiped away the sindoor of our daughters; now they’ve been answered. The name Sindoor brought tears to my eyes.”
Ashanya Dwivedi, the widow of Shubham Dwivedi, voiced a strong message of resolve, telling PTI, “This marks only the start of our retaliation. Prime Minister Modi has assured us that every terror hideout will be targeted. Through this operation, he has delivered the justice we sought.”
Sangita Ganbote, who lost her husband Kaustubh, said the military’s response restored dignity to the women who suffered unimaginable losses. “Naming it Operation Sindoor honors us. I still cry sometimes, but now I feel heard. This is the answer we were waiting for.”
The scale of loss has been immense. Himanshi Narwal, just 24, had been married for six days when her husband, Navy officer Vinay Narwal, was gunned down during their honeymoon. Shital Kalathiya witnessed her husband Shailesh’s death while vacationing with their two children. Others, like Sohini Adhikari, Jennifer Nathaniel, and Pallavi Rao, also watched helplessly as their husbands were murdered in front of their children.
Their grief has now found some relief in the government’s action. A Defence Ministry press briefing on Operation Sindoor is expected later today, providing further details on the precision strikes carried out across the border.
The message from the Indian government is clear: terror will be met with force, and the pain of its victims will not be forgotten.
