DNA correspondent Ishfaq-ul-Hassan was in the line of fire when militants attacked a Youth Congress rally in Srinagar on Sunday. Shaken and disoriented after crawling to safety, he gives an account of his harrowing experience
It seemed doomsday had arrived in Kashmir. Prayers were on everybody's lips as death was just a breath away. From a senior Congress leader to the man on the street, fear gripped all present at the rally. Some leaders were trying to hide under the pillows on the stage in panic, as if they were bullet-proof jackets. Others tried to crawl towards the staircase.
It started all of a sudden. As gunshots were heard, Congress leaders stressed for calm. Some stood up and told supporters there was no need to panic. Some shouted slogans to change the mood of the crowd. Some even announced that J&K chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad will arrive any movement.
Heavy firing, though, sent the crowd into a tizzy. A militant wearing police uniform surfaced near the podium and started firing indiscriminately. On seeing him, leaders leapt on the stage that was covered with white khadi sheets. The militant was firing at the stage, but mercifully it was too high for him. He fired several rounds which hit the shamyina and the bullet proof enclosure.
“I thought he is a policeman. He was standing at ease and firing. I was at that time addressing the gathering when I saw him approaching,” said Abdul Hamid, senior vice president of J&K Youth Congress. The leaders hid underneath the podium so that militants couldn't see them.
Bullet-proof ambassadors entered into the venue breaking the barricades. The leaders were huddled into the cars and evacuated to safety. Those who could not board the vehicles were escorted to safety by security personnel. Youth Congress president Mohammad Amin Bhat had to be pushed inside a car for safety.
At this juncture, IGP Kashmir K Rajendra approached the venue from the other side. Like a brave soldier he ensured that everyone was rescued. But in the process, the militant masquerading as policeman fired at him causing him injuries. DSP Faisal and the SHO also suffered injuries. The guards fired in retaliation to scare away the militants. Meanwhile, some policemen brought in a bullet-proof vehicle and drove the injured officers to hospitals.
Meanwhile, panic reigned supreme. Frightened workers tried to break barricades, but to no avail. Some women workers who were in the front row beat their chests, asking for help. Security forces, at this time, zeroed in on the militant and shot him dead.
Three hours later, the stage, which was decked like a bride, lay in a shambles. Rajiv Gandhi's portrait was lying upside down. Flowers were scattered everywhere. Twisted plastic bottles, pamphlets and pillows were on the ground. It was just another day in Paradise!
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