'I only remember the cries and wails of people'
Zulfikar Majid, Srinagar, DH News Service, Jul 12 2017, 1:29 IST
The injured women are being attended to by Amit Kumar, who is from Rajasthan. Kumar was also on the ill-fated bus but made a surprising escape.
Lalita Devi from Gujarat is in the intensive care unit of SKIMS hospital in Srinagar, with a bullet having pierced her abdomen. She has been operated upon and doctors said the next 24 hours are critical.
The 50-year-old was shifted to SKIMS in a critical condition on Monday night, after terrorists attacked a bus carrying pilgrims returning from the Baltal base camp of Amarnath shrine, killing seven of them and injuring 19 others.
While 16 of the injured were airlifted to their hometowns on Tuesday morning, three critically ill pilgrims, including Lalita, are being treated at Srinagar hospitals.
She only remembers the cries and wails of people in the bus. “As night was approaching and we were moving after performing the yatra, there was a sudden firing on our bus from all the sides. I thought our end has come and suddenly a bullet hit me.
When I opened my eyes, I was in the hospital bed,” Lalita said. Pushpa Devi (45) is also being treated at the same hospital. She has a bullet injury near the spinal cord and has been operated upon. However, the severe pain is nothing compared to her grief of losing fellow passengers.
“After having darshan at Amarnathji Shrine, we were heading for Mata Vaishno Devi when the worst tragedy of our lives struck. We are common people and have nothing to do with the political situation. Why did the terrorists attack us?” she asked, crying.
The injured women are being attended to by Amit Kumar, who is from Rajasthan. Kumar was also on the ill-fated bus but made a surprising escape.
Meanwhile, eyewitnesses praised the actions of Kashmiri Muslims, who came rushing to help the injured pilgrims once the bus stopped. “The locals gave immediate relief and succour to the victims,” eyewitnesses said.
The 50-year-old was shifted to SKIMS in a critical condition on Monday night, after terrorists attacked a bus carrying pilgrims returning from the Baltal base camp of Amarnath shrine, killing seven of them and injuring 19 others.
While 16 of the injured were airlifted to their hometowns on Tuesday morning, three critically ill pilgrims, including Lalita, are being treated at Srinagar hospitals.
She only remembers the cries and wails of people in the bus. “As night was approaching and we were moving after performing the yatra, there was a sudden firing on our bus from all the sides. I thought our end has come and suddenly a bullet hit me.
When I opened my eyes, I was in the hospital bed,” Lalita said. Pushpa Devi (45) is also being treated at the same hospital. She has a bullet injury near the spinal cord and has been operated upon. However, the severe pain is nothing compared to her grief of losing fellow passengers.
“After having darshan at Amarnathji Shrine, we were heading for Mata Vaishno Devi when the worst tragedy of our lives struck. We are common people and have nothing to do with the political situation. Why did the terrorists attack us?” she asked, crying.
The injured women are being attended to by Amit Kumar, who is from Rajasthan. Kumar was also on the ill-fated bus but made a surprising escape.
Meanwhile, eyewitnesses praised the actions of Kashmiri Muslims, who came rushing to help the injured pilgrims once the bus stopped. “The locals gave immediate relief and succour to the victims,” eyewitnesses said.
