Kashmiri Muslims defy curfew to help injured Amarnath pilgrims

Srinagar: An Amarnath yatri from Uttar Pradesh and a local diver were killed and 28 pilgrims were injured in a road accident at Bibjehara along the Srinagar-Jammu highway and 42-km south of here on Wednesday.

The deceased have been identified as Pramod Kumar of UP and driver Bilal Ahmed, a resident of Ganderbal outside Srinagar. The injured were rescued by local Muslim residents who after hearing loud crashing sound of the accident the mini-bus in which the pilgrims were travelling met at Halmulla, Bijbehara along the highway.

Police confirmed that the locals defied curfew restrictions and after risking their own lives started the rescue operation and that at a time when they were mourning the death of two local youth in security forces firing.

Bijbehara is the home town of Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, in a statement here saluted what she said was the exemplary effort of the residents “who amid trying circumstances helped and evacuated the Amarnath yatris injured in the road accident.”

While expressing grief and sorrow over the deaths in the mishap, she said “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”.

She added, “This is the uniqueness of Kashmir’s distinct and valued culture, we must all fight to protect...it has been seen over the years that while Kashmiris have themselves underwent countless tragedies, they have upheld the highest traditions of brotherhood and amity amid difficult times”.

She further said, “I salute my people for this humanitarianism and compassion and expect to see the same flourishing in future.”