Srinagar: Dozens of migrant Kashmiri Pandits gathered on Sunday at the Nadimarg village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district to remember 24 members of the community brutally killed by the terrorists on this day in 2003.
The scars of that tragedy and the brutal murder of 24 unarmed, civilians are etched deep in the mud houses that still stand as deserted reminders of the unforgettable tragedy that befell this village in 2003.
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists swooned in this sleepy village on March 23, 2003, where local Muslims and Pandits had lived in harmony for hundreds of years.
Kashmiri Pandits, men, women and children were dragged out of their homes around 11 p.m. They were made to stand in a line and shot in cold blood.
Twenty-one years have since passed, but whenever a local Muslim recalls that tragedy, tears roll out of his/her eyes as if the tragedy is happening right now.
For the first time since 2003, Kashmiri Pandits have decided to come to the village and pay tribute to the martyrs of the village on ground zero.
Till this year, memorial services were held in Jammu by the migrant Pandits to remember their brothers and sisters.
This year, migrant Pandits decided to hold the memorial service in Nadimarg village.
Prayers were held for the innocent victims. Local Muslims hugged, wept and mourned the tragedy as the presence of Kashmiri Pandits In Nadimarg revived the gruesome memories of that day.
The tribute paid to the victims of Nadimarg by both Kashmiri Pandits and the local Muslims has proved one thing beyond doubt, a terrorist has no religion.
Speaking to IANS, Bhushan Lal Bhat, a native of the village who has since 2003 migrated to Jammu, said, “We used to pay our tributes in Jammu, but this time we have decided to honour the martyrs here. All that happened on this day, 23 years back, the Kashmiri Hindus, who were living here despite migration, were dragged out of their homes and killed in this very place at 11 p.m.”
“The place where we were born, grew up, and called home, including the temple, is where everything was. Naturally, we miss this place. The empty and burnt homes tell the story we do not need to mention.,” he added.
Another Kashmiri Pandit shared his horrifying experience with IANS and said, “I was about 15-16 years old at that time. We stayed here even after the genocide. However, another dark and terrible night came for us on March 23, when Kashmiri pandits were dragged out of their homes and killed mercilessly here.”
“The terrorists took 26 people and brutally killed them here. Those 26 individuals included a 2-year-old child and an 80-year-old woman; all were killed,” he added.
A local Muslim expressed his condolences towards the killed Kashmiri Pandits.
Speaking to IANS, he said, “They were like family to us; truly kind people. We were saddened by what happened. We are very happy that they came here today.”
“We used to live together in harmony — all Hindus and Muslims. However, on the night of March 23, everything changed,” he added.
The victims had no connection with militancy or anti-militancy operations.
While the majority of Kashmiri Pandits had migrated out of the Valley in the early 1990s, the Pandits of Nadimarg had decided to stay in the Valley.
The worst shock of that tragedy has been suffered by the Muslim neighbours of the victims. Muslims had encouraged and supported Nadimarg Pandits not to abandon their homes.
Local Muslims and Pandits of this village lived as brothers. Religion was no bar to their brotherhood and amity.
In one rattle of the terrorists’ guns on March 23, 2003, Nadimarg lost its innocence.
The birth of a terrorist spells disaster for his so-called co-religionists more than for those of any other religion.
(IANS)
