Srinagar, July 11: Never would have they thought that there picnic would end up in hospitals after preparing for days for the school outing.
“I was chatting with my friend who was sitting next to me when the bus fell in a gorge and was followed by a loud noise. I don’t know what happened after that,” said Muhammad Asif, a student of Iqra Educational Institute Lolab who was rushed to SMHS Hospital for treatment.
With tears trickling down his eyes, Asif searched for his parents who were yet to reach the hospital. He asked an attendant about his friend and the tiffin box which his mother had prepared for him and his friend.
Ashiq Ahmad, a resident of Baba Reshi area, who was among the first persons to reach the accident spot, told Greater Kashmir: “I along with my friends was waiting for bus, suddenly I saw a big object falling into the gorge. I ran towards the spot and saw a bus which skidded down the gorge. We raised an alarm after which some people and vehicles passing on the road stopped and helped the injured.”
“Children were drenched in blood, I don’t how we dragged them out of the debris of the bus, and shifted them to SMHS Hospital. Some of them have suffered head injuries. Driver was dead on the spot,” he said.
SMHS Hospital witnesses a chaotic look with injured being brought in and parents and relatives of students coming to see them.
“I was in my office when I heard about the accident. I left my work and boarded a vehicle to Srinagar. Initially we were told that injured were referred to SKIMS and I reached there. But there the officials told me that injured were being treated at SMHS so I rushed to this place,” said Abdul Hamid, parent of an injured student.
“My son has suffered head injuries, I am worried about him,” he said.
Another parent, Muhammad Ismail, was searching for his daughter in the hospital. “I don’t know what has happened to my daughter, I am not able to locate her. I searched for her in other hospital where injured were shifted for treatment but she was not there, neither has she reached here so far,” he said while crying and shouting towards his relatives for help in locating his daughter.
Female relatives of the injured were wailing and crying, beating their chests. “You were supposed to enjoy with your friends, but your bad fortune landed you in hospital,” said mother of an injured student.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 11 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 11 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST