Amarnath driver donates Rs 11K to Army

Surat: Bus driver Salim Gafur Shaikh, who displayed exceptional courage when terrorists attacked pilgrims during Amarnath Yatra in J&K last year, has proved the saying 'once a hero, always a hero' true.
He has donated Rs 11,000 from his savings, which is almost equal to his one month salary to 'Army Welfare Fund Battle Casualties'. "I recently saw news that four Army personnel were martyred in J&K. I decided to do something for their families. So, I decided to donate whatever I had in my bank account. Families of Indian Army men give real heroes for the service of our country. How can we forget them during their time of distress?" Shaikh asked.

Shaikh saved the lives of 52 people by his alacrity and presence of mind when the terrorists attacked the bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims from Valsad (Gujarat) and Maharashtra near Batengoo in Anantnag of J&K. On the night of July 10, 2017, the pilgrims were returning from Amarnath in the bus on first Monday of holy month of Shravan. The pilgrims were going to Jammu from Srinagar when one of the tyres of the bus got punctured. The bus got delayed as it had to stop to replace the tyre and soon it grew dark and the pilgrims came under attack. Shaikh drove the bus at full speed in the dark, manoeuvring it with a flat tyre in dangerous mountainous terrain for more than 2km amid a hail of bullets. Eight people got killed of which seven were women.

"They saved us, got us treated and ensured we reached home safely. Because of the Indian Army I and other 52 bus passengers are back with our families. I am proud of the Army and believe it is the strongest in the world," Shaikh told TOI. Shaikh, who lives in Valsad, works as a bus driver with a tour operator firm on a salary of Rs 12,000 per month.