IAF plane ferries bodies, survivors to Surat
DH News Service, Ahmedabad, Jul 12 2017, 1:35 IST
Injured pilgrims being brought out of an IAF plane in Surat on Tuesday. PTI
The mood was sombre as a special Indian Air Force aircraft landed at Surat airport a little after 1.00 pm on Tuesday.
The aircraft carrying the bodies of victims killed in the terror attack on Monday took off from Srinagar in the morning and arrived in Surat via Daman.
Of the seven killed in the attack, two are from Maharashtra, two from Daman and the rest from Gujarat. It was earlier reported that all victims were from Gujarat.
The aircraft also ferried 17 of the 19 injured, besides the 32 survivors. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, his deputy Nitin Patel and BJP state president Jitu Vaghani were present at the airport.
“Five members of my family were on the bus. While my elder brother is injured in the head, my sister-in-law has received injuries on her hand. We have little information other than what we know from television,” said Meena Khimani, who returned from the pilgrimage last Sunday.
Like Meena, most relatives were nervous as they waited for the aircraft. The first to walk out of the plane was the driver of the bus, Saleem Sheikh, and owner Harsh Desai. Desai got off the plane without a shirt. His nose, hand and shoulder were bandaged. He walked a few steps before he was carried away on a stretcher.
Saleem, hailed as the saviour of more than 50 pilgrims, helped the injured alight the aircraft. He was later introduced to the chief minister and his deputy, who praised him for his bravery. As injured pilgrims began streaming out of the aircraft, they were assisted by paramedics.
“Most pilgrims who came back by this special aircraft told me that they were helped by the locals, the police, medics, the army and the central government. On behalf of the people of Gujarat, I thank everyone,” Rupani told reporters.
Earlier, he announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh for the injured.
The aircraft carrying the bodies of victims killed in the terror attack on Monday took off from Srinagar in the morning and arrived in Surat via Daman.
Of the seven killed in the attack, two are from Maharashtra, two from Daman and the rest from Gujarat. It was earlier reported that all victims were from Gujarat.
The aircraft also ferried 17 of the 19 injured, besides the 32 survivors. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, his deputy Nitin Patel and BJP state president Jitu Vaghani were present at the airport.
“Five members of my family were on the bus. While my elder brother is injured in the head, my sister-in-law has received injuries on her hand. We have little information other than what we know from television,” said Meena Khimani, who returned from the pilgrimage last Sunday.
Like Meena, most relatives were nervous as they waited for the aircraft. The first to walk out of the plane was the driver of the bus, Saleem Sheikh, and owner Harsh Desai. Desai got off the plane without a shirt. His nose, hand and shoulder were bandaged. He walked a few steps before he was carried away on a stretcher.
Saleem, hailed as the saviour of more than 50 pilgrims, helped the injured alight the aircraft. He was later introduced to the chief minister and his deputy, who praised him for his bravery. As injured pilgrims began streaming out of the aircraft, they were assisted by paramedics.
“Most pilgrims who came back by this special aircraft told me that they were helped by the locals, the police, medics, the army and the central government. On behalf of the people of Gujarat, I thank everyone,” Rupani told reporters.
Earlier, he announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh for the injured.
