Stranded for days in flood-hit Kashmir, Bihar migrants manage to reach Delhi
13 Sep 2014 11:13 PM GMT
‘It was on the fifth day that the Army air-dropped boiled rice and drinking water packets. As the water receded slightly, we somehow waded through and reached Kashmir airport,’ said Mani Lal (30). The group spent all their savings to purchase air tickets of Indigo airlines to reach Delhi. They are presently lodged in Bihar Bhawan but they are clueless about their next course of action and even do not have enough money to go back to their state.
The fear and anxiety was evident in their eyes. It was a nightmare even for 15-year-old Muhammad Shammi, whose vacation in Kashmir turned into a disaster due to severe floods. A 5th standard student from Araria, Bihar, he narrated the horrifying story of his survival along with the 14 others.
They were starved for around five days until the Army managed to supply them boiled rice and water bottles.
‘We were struck in the flood and took shelter over the roof of the building in Srinagar. We decided to wade through the water and managed to construct boats made from broken parts of furniture,’ said Shammi. The group was stranded at Srinagar airport for another four days before they managed to reach Delhi. ‘We were injured when Kashmir police lathi-charged at Srinagar airport to control the crowed,’ he added.
‘It has been nine days and our families do not know whether we are dead or alive. We don’t have any money to go home. We were told that we would be airlifted from Kashmir by the IAF or some private airlines but all of us had to buy tickets for Delhi,’ said Lal.
The fear and anxiety was evident in their eyes. It was a nightmare even for 15-year-old Muhammad Shammi, whose vacation in Kashmir turned into a disaster due to severe floods. A 5th standard student from Araria, Bihar, he narrated the horrifying story of his survival along with the 14 others.
They were starved for around five days until the Army managed to supply them boiled rice and water bottles.
‘We were struck in the flood and took shelter over the roof of the building in Srinagar. We decided to wade through the water and managed to construct boats made from broken parts of furniture,’ said Shammi. The group was stranded at Srinagar airport for another four days before they managed to reach Delhi. ‘We were injured when Kashmir police lathi-charged at Srinagar airport to control the crowed,’ he added.
‘It has been nine days and our families do not know whether we are dead or alive. We don’t have any money to go home. We were told that we would be airlifted from Kashmir by the IAF or some private airlines but all of us had to buy tickets for Delhi,’ said Lal.
Next Story
