KOLKATA: Kisan Gurung, ex-Army personnel who had been posted at the Italian Embassy in Kabul as a security staff after returning home in Kurseong narrated the horror he witnessed there.
He landed at Bagdogra airport on Sunday night. He shuddered to recall how indiscriminate firings were done by the Talibans. He had seen 12 bodies of Afghan people being taken into the hotel where he had taken refuge. On August 15, he was performing his duty at the Italian Embassy when he heard that Talibans were advancing towards Kabul. In the evening, Talibans entered Kabul. He and other security personnel were told that they would have to continue duty till the evening. They cordoned off the Italian Embassy and provided the employees a safe passage. The security could not leave the place and later they were advised to take shelter at the Denmark embassy.
"People were running helter-skelter on the roads in fear. It was a horrible experience. Indiscriminate firings were taking place and people were getting bullet injuries. We managed to get into the Denmark embassy. I had later taken refuge in a hotel. I saw people falling on the ground after receiving bullet injuries. Around 12 bodies were taken into the same hotel we were staying in. We have managed to get into Kabul airport due to the help of the British army," said Gurung.
He further stated: "Taliban forces had once stopped us and inquired about our identity. Talibanis were marching down the streets with scourge in their hands. People were rushing down the streets towards the airport and there were huge traffic jams. I managed to return to India via Tajikistan."
Sarbajit Mukherjee, originally a resident of Lake view road in Kolkata, who was working at a university in Kabul as a professor of international relations managed to return home on Sunday. Tamal Bhattacharjee who had been a teacher at an international school in Kabul managed to return home at North 24-Parganas' Nimta giving a sigh of relief to his parents. He said he had to face the Taliban but they did not do any harm to them.