Kashmir attack: Victims in Houston talk with FOX 26 about what happened

Kashmir attack: Local victims of genocide discuss Tuesday's deadly terrorist attack

The victims in the attack haven't all been identified. Even though this is happening more than 8,000 miles away from us in Houston, FOX 26's Rashi Vats explains why this impacts our community.

HOUSTON - Dozens of people, both students and community members, were at the University of Houston on Thursday afternoon holding a candlelight vigil in memory of 26 tourists killed Tuesday in a terror attack in Kashmir. Those killed haven’t all been identified. 

Victims describe Kashmir attack with FOX 26

FULL VIDEO: Talking with local victims of genocide from Kashmir

Speaking with local victims of genocide from Kashmir about Tuesday deadly terrorist attack.

Although this happened more than 8,000 miles away from us in Houston, 40,000-45,000 members of the Kashmiri diaspora live in the United States and many in Houston. 

"On 19th of January 1990, the whole population came onto the road. They used loud speakers to scare us. They use derogatory slogans," said Surinder Kaul, who moved from Kashmir and lives in Katy. 

Kaul is the co-founder of the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora, which is a civil society movement with the goal to move the world’s conscience about plight of their Kashmiri Hindu community. 

"What is very disturbing is that the terrorists, they identified the victims whether they are Hindus or Muslims. That is very painful," said Kaul.

UH students hold vigil for Kashmir attack victims

According to the Associated Press, gunmen opened fire on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir, killing almost 30 people.

Dig deeper:

There’s a tumultuous history for the last 700 years. In 1990, during civil unrest and genocide, Kashmiri Hindus were given the choice to convert, leave or be killed.

Amit Raina who lives in Houston, like Kaul, was one of the hundreds of thousands Kashmiri Hindus that fled. 

"It's a grim reminder of the brutal past we had. It took me back to 1990 where I was a 8-9 year-old kid, and my experiences and what we had to go through back then. The pain, the anguish, the brutality. Our community had to go through that genocide," said Raina. 

We still don’t have confirmation on who these suspects are, but Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will punish "every terrorist and their backers."