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India
In a moment of tragedy and terror, stories of bravery are shining through from Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Among them is Rayees Ahmad Bhatt, the president of the Pony Owners Association, now hailed as the “Hero of Pahalgam” after rescuing five injured tourists during the terror attack at Baisaran Valley.
According to ANI news agency, Bhatt rushed alone from his office upon hearing about the attack, putting his life in danger without hesitation. “If the attackers are still here, and we get killed too, so be it,” Bhatt recalled, determined to help those in need.
He explained that around 2:35 PM, he received a distress message from the General President of their union. Unable to clearly communicate due to network issues, Bhatt immediately left on foot. Along the way, he convinced two or three people to join him, forming a small rescue group.
As they moved closer to the site, a horrifying scene unfolded. Terrified tourists, barefoot and covered in mud, were fleeing downhill, pleading for water. Bhatt and his team acted fast, breaking a water pipe in the forest to offer them relief. “We told them, ‘You are in a safe zone now. Don’t worry,'” Bhatt said, describing how they calmed and sent the victims safely downhill.
Despite the danger, Bhatt pressed further uphill, encouraging other pony riders to return with him to assist. “Many horsemen were coming down in fear. I convinced 5-10 of them to come back with me,” he said. Along the way, they helped people lying injured in the mud, sending them back to safety on horseback.
Reaching the attack site, Bhatt saw dead bodies at the main entrance where tourists usually gather. “I’m 35 years old, and something like this has never happened in Pahalgam before,” he said emotionally. Inside, the situation was even worse, with women clinging to them, begging to save their loved ones. With heavy hearts, Bhatt and his team pushed ahead, determined to help as many as they could.
He was later joined by Abdul Wahid, General President of the unions, and Sajad Ahmad Bhat, a local shawl seller. Sajad’s video, showing him carrying a young boy on his shoulders, quickly went viral online, capturing the spirit of human courage.
SHO Riaz Sahib of the local police arrived about 10 minutes later. Bhatt explained that the delay was due to the terrain. “There is no motorable road up to that point. We locals know the shortcuts through the jungle,” he said. While the locals used the quickest paths, the police had to take longer routes to reach the spot.
Bhatt’s fearless actions have brought a ray of hope amidst the sadness, showing that even during dark times, humanity shines bright.
