TN tourists recount how Jammu & Kashmir locals got them out of harm’s way

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu tourists stuck in J&K after the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam recalled the kindness of local residents in Kashmir in escorting them to safety, after the tourist groups started arriving in batches at Chennai airport in the wee hours of Thursday.

Members from a group of 48 people who arrived here at 8.30 am on Thursday told TNIE that they were even confident enough to finish their last leg of the trip – a round of sightseeing in Srinagar on Wednesday, a day after the attacks, as per their original schedule – before returning home.

Nitish, belonging to Srirangam and part of the group, said the residents there took utmost care in ensuring the group’s safety. “They treated us (the tourists) as if we were family and made it their priority to take us to hotels. They did not see us as Hindus, Muslims or any other religious groups; they saw us as friends,” he said.

Before them, another group had arrived at 1.30 am. They (19 tourists) were taken to their hometowns through travel arrangements made by the state government. The group that arrived at 8.30 am was also taken to the members’ respective hometowns, government officials said.

Suryanarayanan of Srirangam told TNIE, “Some of us in the group woke up late on Tuesday morning which delayed our visit to Baisaran. Otherwise, we would have been at the spot at the same time when the terror attack occurred.”

Suryanarayanan and his wife were part of a group of around 69 people who had gone to Kashmir for a summer holiday. The trip was arranged by a private association based in Chennai, which has members spread across the state.

Natrajan (48) of Tiruchy, who is a member of the association, had gone on the trip with his wife and two sons. He told TNIE, “The association arranges such a trip once every two years. Last time, we went to Kodaikanal. For the first time, we had planned a trip outside Tamil Nadu.”

Natrajan said that the group reached Kashmir on Saturday. After two days of sightseeing, they went to Pahlagam as per their plan. They were 6 km from the Baisaran Valley and were having lunch at eateries when the terrorists struck.

“Even though we heard some noises, we were not sure what those were. The shops where we were eating started shutting up and we were asked to return to our hotels,” Natrajan said, adding that when enquired about it, the local residents only said there was a small problem and asked them to leave as soon as possible.

“Only after we were halfway to our hotel, we were told about the attack. The Army personnel then took over the security of the moving vehicles and we were escorted back to our rooms. The gate of our hotel was locked for the entire day. However, on Wednesday, all of us were taken to the sightseeing spots in Srinagar after following necessary protocols. Then, we boarded flights from Srinagar to Chennai.”

Nitish added that the general public should not avoid visiting Kashmir due to this attack. He said since tourism is the lifeline of the locals there, the public should support them. “If you have plans to visit Kashmir, but are worried about the attacks, postpone or delay your trip, but do not cancel it,” he said.

Talking about Balachandru, one of the group’s members who has been hospitalised at Pahalgam, P Subramaniam said, “As soon as he heard about the news, Balachandru complained of chest pain. He was rushed to a military hospital. An ECG test was conducted and he was referred to GMC in Anantnag. He is okay now.”

M Vallalar, commissioner, Rehabilitation & Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils, told TNIE, “Tamil Nadu tourists in Kashmir are returning in multiple batches. Till Thursday, two batches have arrived. One more batch will be coming on Friday morning.