Students Hold Candlelight Vigil At UC Berkeley For Kashmir Victims

India-West Staff Reporter

BERKELEY, CA – On April 23, students at the University of California, Berkeley gathered for a solemn candlelight vigil to mourn the 26 people killed in the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam. The event was organized by Hindu Yuva USA and the Youth Action Network of the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA).

The vigil served as a space for reflection and mourning, particularly for young Kashmiri Hindu American students and alumni, many of whom carry the trauma of displacement and loss within their families.

CoHNA, in a social media post, described the attack as “religiously motivated,” saying the victims were targeted after their Hindu identity was confirmed. The group shared that the vigil gave students an opportunity to express their grief and connect with others in a shared moment of remembrance.

“We salute these brave kids and the Berkeley chapters of CoHNA Youth Action Network and Hindu Yuva for this moving event that came together spontaneously within hours of news of the incident,” the organization said.

In a separate statement, Hindu Yuva USA strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “senseless act of terror” driven by a divisive agenda. The group expressed solidarity with the victims and emphasized the urgent need for peace and lasting solutions.