Kashmir unrest: Locals risk lives to rescue Amarnath yatris

When Kashmir was seething with anger, a group of local Muslims risked their lives to rescue a group of Amarnath yatris, who met with a fatal road accident at Sangam on Srinagar-Jammu highway in the volatile Anantnag district,

Two people including a Kashmiri driver and pilgrim died while 22 others sustained wounds when their bus had a head-on collision with a trawler on the highway in the dead of night. Entire south Kashmir is under curfew and people have been confined to their homes since Saturday. Despite risks, locals without caring about their lives came out of their homes to help the yatris who were screaming in the bus. The injured were ferried to Shri Mahraja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital Sringar for treatment in trying circumstances.

"The accident was so fatal that entire bus was mangled. So many vehicles passed by but none of them came to our rescue. It was the locals who came out and cut the bus through and took out us to safety," said Ajit Kumar, a yatri from Uttar Pradesh. The accident happened at 4am on Wednesday when a pilgrim bus was on way to Jammu from Baltal. "We started from home on July 6 and had dharshan at the holy cave on July 11. We had left Baltal late evening on way to home. But there was a massive accident en route. We were saved by locals and I do not know them," said an injured yatri from Meerut at SMHS hospital, who do not want to be identified because of the family back home.

Most of the injured yatries were from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh who had hired the mini bus up to Jammu. "Please do not tell my family. My mom will die of shock if she learns about my injuries," requested a yatri from Meerut, a farmer by profession. Local Muslim volunteers who have set up stalls and camps for the victims of unrest were the first to reach out to the yatris. The volunteers are making all efforts to help the yatries. Some people are trying to comfort the injured yatries by their bedside. "It is our duty to help them," said a volunteer preferring anonymity.

Even embattled Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti appreciated the efforts of the locals to evacuate the injured pilgrims in "trying circumstances". "Keeping in with Kashmir's glorious traditions of communal harmony and brotherhood, the locals of Bijbehara, who themselves were mourning the tragic deaths in recent law and order situation, ignored their personal grief and rushed to the accident spot to rescue the injured pilgrims and shift them to the hospitals," said Mehbooba.

Saluting the indomitable courage of locals Mehbooba said this is the uniqueness of Kashmir's distinct and valued culture they must all fight to protect. "It has been seen over the years that while Kashmiris have themselves undergone countless tragedies, they have upheld the highest traditions of brotherhood and amity amid difficult times. I salute my people for this humanitarianism and compassion and expect to see the same flourishing in future," she said.