Father of Pahalgam zipline operator, who chanted Allahu Akbar during terrorist attack, defends his son: 'Even if storm comes...'

The family of Muzamil, a zipline operator accused of shouting "Allahu Akbar" during the Pahalgam terror attack, has defended their son. According to Abdul Aziz, Muzamil's father, his son was scared and crying after the incident. "Right now, Muzamil is with the police. He was very scared, he started crying at that time. He said, 'Don't say anything to me, something happened here," the father of Muzamil, Abdul Aziz told ANI.

When asked about the viral video where Muzamil was seen saying "Allahu Akbar", he said that, "Even if the storm comes, we say Allahu Akbar. What fault do we have in this? Muzamil used to work only with the zipline; he didn't do any other work. He emphasised that Muzamil was just doing his job and didn't intend any harm. Earlier today, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari called for a thorough investigation into a viral video showing a tourist enjoying ziplining in Pahalgam, where the tourist claimed that the zipline operator shouted "Allahu Akbar".

"This is a matter of investigation. I have also seen that video. There should be an investigation into it...The truth should come out... No security force was deployed there...Everyone except the Indian Government knew that tourists in large numbers are coming there (in Pahalgam)..," he said. On social media, a video of Gujarat tourist Rishi Bhatt went viral, where he was seen engaged in a ziplining adventure when terrorists started firing. Speaking to ANI in Ahmedabad about his viral video, Bhatt has alleged that the zipline operator shouted "Allahu Akbar" thrice, following which the firing began. He said that he had a suspicion about the Kashmiri zipline operator.

READ | IAS Smita Sabharwal shares first post after her transfer: 'Spent 4 months in...'

"9 people ziplined before me, but the operator did not utter a word. When I was sliding, he spoke, and then the firing started. So, I have my suspicions about that man. He said 'Allahu Akbar' thrice and then the firing started... He looked like a regular Kashmiri," Bhatt claimed. "Firing started when I was ziplining... After about 20 seconds, I realised that it was a terrorist attack...and people on the ground are being killed," Bhatt told ANI while recalling the incident. "I saw 5-6 people getting shot."

After that, he detached himself from the zipline and fled with his family. "I unlatched my belt and jumped down, took my wife and son and started running away. We saw people hiding in a spot that resembled a pit, making it difficult to spot them easily. We too hid there," he added. The attack in Pahalgam occurred on April 22 at Baisaran meadow, where terrorists targeted tourists, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepalese citizen, and leaving several others injured. Following the attack, the Central government has said that the terrorists responsible for the attack and the conspirators behind it will face severe punishment.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)