Hundreds of stranded tourists and families from Jammu and Kashmir arrived at New Delhi Railway Station late Friday night on a special train arranged for civilians who were escaping the missile strikes and drone attacks by Pakistan amid the ensuing border conflict.
Students, tourists and families rushed to Delhi as Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced four special trains from Jammu on Friday. The Jammu Tavi Special reached Delhi’s NDLS around 11.55 pm.
Arya (no last name), a 21-year-old student from Central University of Jammu, said her parents have been calling her for the last two days. “We were all in college and had not received any instructions on what to do. But what happened on Friday shook us. There were sirens, complete blackout, drones and missiles in the air and hardly any network. We thought we were all going to die. We decided to leave and when we found the special train, we immediately booked our seats. Our exams have been suspended, but we just escaped in the morning. It was difficult to get a bus to the railway station. The train was delayed. Even in the morning, it was scary. We heard several missiles were there. We had just locked ourselves in our dorm earlier and didn’t step out. None of us even dared to look at the window.”
Arya said she will now plan her journey to her hometown in Kerala with 40 other students from the state who were studying at Central University of Jammu.
Afsana Sheikh (20), a botany student, and her friend Akshay Kumar (20) said the situation is getting worse. “We have been receiving calls from civilians and our friends. Nobody is stepping out because of the serial attacks. We are just scared. The drones were seen close to a hospital near our campus. The train was supposed to leave at 10.45 am but left at 1 pm. For those 2 hours, I was sweating due to fear. I was just praying to get out and hoping that the train doesn’t get cancelled. It was difficult to leave our college. We could see missile-like objects in the sky. All flights were cancelled. We couldn’t leave immediately,” they said.
Several tourists in Udhampur and neighbouring cities also rushed to catch the train and leave as they had been stranded for days.
Mouly (27) and her friend had reached Katra and later travelled to Udhampur last week. “We thought everything would get over in a day or two. And decided to stay. It was the worst decision we made. All I could see was firing from the hotel window. I don’t know what it was. It felt like bombs were being dropped. My parents told me to come home but the airport had shut down. I had lost hope as only a few regular trains were available. Thankfully, I found the special train in time. I couldn’t get a cab, taxi or anything. We had to take our bags, cover our heads and walk on the streets. We managed to reach the railway station. I just want to go home and hug my mother,” she said.
The special train was also booked by army families who were made to leave Army Cantonment because of the attacks.
Neetu Yadav held her 7-year-old daughter and cried as her brother received her at NDLS. Her husband is posted as a naik in Indian Army. “I didn’t want to leave but the situation at Army Cantt was getting worse. Pakistan was continuously attacking the Cantt area. Nobody was safe. We were told to leave. I felt so helpless leaving my husband. But I’m proud of him. None of us suffered any harm because he’s fighting at the the border I know God will protect him. I was scared because there were no lights, weak internet and drone attacks. My mother and in-laws were calling us after they saw the news on TV. We are now going to Farrukhabad,” she said.
Urmila Devi (40), whose husband is posted as a havildar in the Indian Army, said, “We couldn’t sleep because of the sirens and missiles. After the attack, there was this complete silence in the air and then again, we would hear sirens and firing. Civilians are suffering because of Pakistan. They are targetting residential colonies. I hope the war gets over soon. I have so many friends who are stranded and can’t leave. Not everyone has a bunker and can get killed.”