4 min readPuneUpdated: Apr 20, 2026 10:43 AM IST
It has been nearly a year since 50-year-old Santosh Jagdale was killed in front of his wife and daughter, who are yet to recover from the traumatic incident.
Santosh was among the 26 people killed in Pahalgam, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, on April 22 last year, when terrorists opened fire at tourists. The Jagdale family was on holiday in the south Kashmir tourist destination when the attack took Santosh’s life.
In the year since the incident, Santosh’s wife, Pragati, and daughter, Asawari, have grappled not only with emotional pain but also the financial strain of having lost the primary breadwinner.
“We had many sleepless nights. The incident we witnessed is still fresh in our minds,” says Asawari Jagdale (27), adding, “It was the most difficult year of our lives.”
While dealing with the trauma of witnessing the terror attack and the loss of Santosh, the family also had to “run from pillar to post to get the promises made by the state government fulfilled”, Asawari says.
Santosh used to run a business selling farsaan, or savoury snacks, and decorations, and Asawari used to work in the HR department of a company. However, after Santosh’s death, Asawari had to quit her job to help her mother cope.
In the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attack, the family was assured of support by the top leadership of the Maharashtra government, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. Asawari was promised government employment on compassionate grounds.
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However, the family got no other communication regarding a government job for another nine months. After a request from Asawari’s mother, Pragati, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni took her case to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Finally, 11 months on from the terrorist attack that upended her life, Asawari was appointed as an administrative officer in the Pune Municipal Corporation in March. She is currently completing her training and will take charge as a Class II officer by the end of April.
“We had to fight for the job on our own as there was no one to support us initially. It was only after we expressed our frustration publicly and received help from the media that things moved forward. I was finally able to secure a job in the Pune Municipal Corporation. This will help our family manage our livelihood,” Asawari says.
As per the Hindu calendar, Santosh Jagdale’s first death anniversary fell on March 26, and all rituals were performed that day. On April 22, the family plans to donate food to the needy. “Most probably, we will donate to an orphanage in remembrance of my father. I cannot take leave on that day as I am still in my training period, so I will request a few hours off to carry out the planned activities,” she says.
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The government job comes as a relief, but Asawari says nothing can fill the void left by her father’s killing.
“While people may think things are settled now that I have a job in the PMC, one must understand that nothing can replace a father. There is a permanent void in our lives. We are still mentally exhausted,” she says.
The job has brought its own challenges, however. Asawari says, “My mother is alone at home when I go to the office. We stay in constant touch over the phone, but I want to help her come out of the shock by keeping her busy with some activities.”
