‘Rabbit Girl’ of Pahalgam Becomes Lifeline for Tourists in Tragedy

Sixteen-year-old Rubeena, once known for posing with her pet rabbit, emerges as a symbol of courage and compassion in the wake of the Pahalgam massacre that claimed 27 lives

By Basharat Amin

As gunshots shattered the serene afternoon air in the lush meadows of Baisaran, five kilometres from Pahalgam hill town, panic gripped the visitors. But, in that moment of terror, a teenager from a nearby Gujjar settlement rose above the fear, becoming an unlikely heroine in the face of horror.

Rubeena, 16, known as the ‘Rabbit Girl of Kashmir’ for offering her pet bunny to tourists for a few rupees per photo, found herself at the heart of an unfolding tragedy. The young girl, who now works as a guide and helper in the Baisaran Eco Park, had accompanied a couple from Chennai just moments before the attack began.

“We reached the park around 2.00 PM,” Rubeena recalled. “They made Maggie noodles, clicked some pictures, and suddenly—gunshots. At first, we thought they were firecrackers. Then we saw the chaos. People running, screaming. Pony-wallas shouting, ‘Run’!”

That moment marked the beginning of one of the darkest days Kashmir has witnessed in years. The gunmen opened fire on tourists, killing 26 people. At least 17 others were injured in the attack that has since shaken the Valley to its core.

Amid the mayhem, Rubeena ran for cover. Once she reached safety, her concern was not for herself.

“I kept going back to the park gate—three times—looking for the couple. Everything was so dark and confusing. Nobody knew what had happened. We were all numb.”

As exhausted and tearful tourists trickled down from the hills, many barefoot and trembling, Rubeena and her 17-year-old sister Mumtaza turned their modest home into a refuge. Their mud-thatched house, just a kilometer from the park, became an unlikely shelter.

“We gave them water. Tried to calm them,” said Mumtaza, who, despite a fractured foot, carried a tourist’s 10-year-old child to safety.

“I went back up the hill twice more. They were wailing—worried about their belongings, but mostly just shocked.”

Rabbit Girl’s resilience

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Kashmiris have come together in grief. Silent protests, candlelight vigils, and complete shutdowns have swept across the Valley – against the killings of the tourists. In Pahalgam, hotels, pony operators, shopkeepers—all those connected to the tourism sector—have joined hands in mourning.

Public transport has been halted. Schools have shut down. Social and religious groups have united to express solidarity with the bereaved families.

“This was not just an attack on tourists,” said a pony-walla, who participated in a silent march. “It was an attack on our hearts, on our homes, on our hope.”

For many, the image of Rubeena—the once-smiling ‘Rabbit Girl’ of Pahalgam—now represents the silent resilience of Kashmir’s youth. “She didn’t think twice before going back to help strangers,” said a local guide. “She is what Kashmir truly is—hospitable, warm, and unbreakable.”

Even as fear and uncertainty linger, Rubeena continues to sit quietly on her wooden cot, processing the trauma. Her rabbit is gone. Her routine has been shattered. But her spirit, like the valley she calls home, endures.

And so does her hope. “I just want peace,” she said softly. “I want people to come back to these mountains. Not in fear—but with smiles.”

Courtesy Kashmir Times.Photos by Basharat Amin, courtesy Kashmir Times. 

https://kashmirtimes.com/news/rabbit-girl-of-pahalgam-becomes-lifeline-for-tourists