Srinagar, Apr 24: When chaos unfolded in Baisaran, it wasn’t just the landscape that trembled; it was the very spirit of humanity being tested. Amid the cries, the panic, and the heartbreak, one man stepped forward, embodying what many now call the real Kashmiriyat.
A video that went viral on social media shows Sajad Ahmad, a local Kashmiri man, cradling an injured tourist child on his shoulders, rushing through the rocky terrain to get him to safety.
Recalling the incident, Ahmad told Rising Kashmir the child was helplessly crying, “Uncle, uncle, save me.” As the boy cried, Ahmad risked his own life, offering water along the way and ensuring the child reached the hospital alive. That moment wasn’t just an act of rescue. It was a message— a deeply human one: In a world divided by fear, there are still people bound together by compassion.
As news of the incident spread, Sajad and others rushed to help. “He got a call,” Sajad recalled. “There is a need for rescue. You take the people there, help the injured.” Without hesitation, they moved, Ahmad added.
When they arrived in Baisaran, a vast and beautiful valley now scarred by tragedy, they saw the injured lying helplessly. “Our first priority was to help them reach the hospital safely,” he said.
With no ambulances in sight, locals and volunteers—many from the Poneywalla Association—resorted to horseback and even carried people on their shoulders through the uneven paths. “There are a lot of people other than me who carried them to reach the hospital,” Sajad remarked. Among them, heroes both seen and unsung.
It was in the midst of this chaos that Sajad heard the plea of a child: “Uncle, uncle, save me.” With trembling hands but a determined heart, Sajad lifted the boy, put him on his shoulders, and made the treacherous journey down the valley. “On the way, I gave him water,” he recalled. “I told him there was no need to be afraid.”
Sajad wasn’t alone in his bravery. Many people helped, particularly the Poneywalla Association. “They helped a lot,” he said. But not all survived. “Adil also lost his life,” he added quietly, referring to a fellow volunteer. “Later, the list that came in the news showed even the poor horseman lost his life.”
“It was our duty to go there and help the injured,” Sajad said, remembering the haunting yet beautiful scene in the valley. “No tourists left, just some horsemen roaming, trying to save people.”
When asked about the core issue, his answer was heartbreaking yet bold: “This is a murder of humanity. This is a murder of the people of Kashmir. This should never happen.”
To the tourists of India, his message is clear and full of hope. Don’t be afraid. You are our guest, our brother. We are standing with you. Please come. Don’t be afraid to come to Kashmir.
