Eknath Shinde gifted a new house to the family of martyr Ponywala.

Srinagar: Hapatnar village, located in the foothills of the Pir Panjal mountains, about 15 km ahead of Pahalgam, was unusually bustling with activity on Tuesday. many Shiv Sena The workers had gathered in the peaceful village carrying photographs of the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the party leader. Eknath Shinde.However, there was no sloganeering or political posturing, as it was not a party function but a solemn ceremony, which Shinde attended virtually, handing over a newly constructed single-storey house to the family of ponywala Syed Adil Hussain Shah – the only local victim of last year’s Pahalgam terror attack, who lost his life while trying to save the tourists.Maharashtra ministers Sanjay Shirsat and Yogesh Ramdas Kadam were present in the village to oversee the programme.Shinde had earlier given financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the family, and later decided to build them a permanent home after seeing the dilapidated condition of their house.“Many people thought we would not fulfill our promise, but we have now completed the house and handed it over to the family,” Shirsat said. He said the move honors Adil’s sacrifice. “This sends a message to the country that he gave his life for others.”This day brought a mixture of sadness and pride for the family. Adil’s father Syed Haider Shah said that this loss has wreaked havoc on the family. “But, when I think that he died protecting tourists, I feel proud,” he said.This house was built at a cost of around Rs 10-12 lakh. The family was hopeful that Shinde would visit them on the first anniversary of the attack. However, he could not do so and sent two ministers.Jammu and Kashmir government and other organizations have provided financial assistance of about Rs 20 lakh to Adil’s family. His wife Gulnaz Akhtar was given a permanent job in the Fisheries Department, while his brother Nazakat got a daily wage job in the Waqf Board. Another brother, Naushad, who once drove vehicles for others, today owns a taxi worth around Rs 12 lakh.Haider Shah said his son’s sacrifice sends a message that one has to rise above religious divisions to save humanity. “Adil was the backbone of our family, and I expected our situation to worsen after his death. But support from many quarters has helped us survive,” he said.Expressing his gratitude to the Shiv Sena chief, Shah said, “He has no vote bank here and we were not his voters. Yet, his people visited us many times during the construction of the house and all these months thereafter. These memories remain.”