Kashmiris Defy Curfew To Help Amarnath Pilgrims Injured In Bus Accident

Srinagar: The situation in Kashmir remains tense a week after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. But among the unrest, there are also instances of humanity and compassion. Local Kashmiri Muslims defied curfew and rescued a group of pilgrims who had a major accident and shifted them to a hospital in Srinagar where local volunteers are now taking care of them.

The pilgrims from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, who were returning from the Amarnath Yatra, met with an accident on Tuesday when their bus collided with a truck. Two pilgrims and the driver of the bus died in the accident; over a dozen were injured.

When the news of the accident reached locals in Bijbehara in Anantnag district - one of the Valley's worst-hit in violence - residents defied the curfew, reached the accident site, evacuated the injured pilgrims and carried them to the hospital.

"Some vehicles passed by, but they did not stop to help us, but the locals broke open the bus and carried us to the hospital," said Rohan, an injured pilgrim at the hospital.

"If the locals would not have come to our rescue, we would have died. They gave us medicines on time, they helped us a lot," said Summi Sharma, another injured pilgrim lying on the next bed.
 At the hospital the locals are attending to the injured pilgrims, with volunteers making the arrangements - helping with water and refreshments. A team of volunteers has been kept on a standby for donating blood to the injured pilgrims.

"We have told them even if you need blood, we are ready to donate our blood. We have kept our volunteers on standby," said Rashid Ashraf, a local volunteer.

The incident comes at a time when the Valley has witnessed violent protests that have claimed 38 lives and left over 1600 injured.