Pahalgam Ponywallah Leader's Haunting Memories of Baisaran Valley Terror Attack
In the picturesque town of Pahalgam, Abdul Waheed Wani's phone rings constantly. As the 39-year-old president of one of the region's largest ponywallah associations, he remains in high demand. Yet, he deliberately keeps himself occupied to push away the traumatic memories that continue to haunt him daily.
First Responder to Tragedy
Wani was among the very first individuals to reach Baisaran valley following the devastating terrorist attack on April 22. The assault claimed the lives of 26 tourists, including a local ponywallah, and left 17 others wounded with serious injuries. The horrific scenes he witnessed that day return to him relentlessly, both during sleepless nights and unexpectedly in daylight hours.
"What I saw that day I pray no one should ever see," Wani states with profound emotion. He received an urgent call from police during the afternoon of April 22, informing him that something terrible had occurred in Baisaran. While in a nearby village at the time, Wani utilized his extensive local knowledge to take a shorter route, arriving at the scene even before police forces who had to navigate a longer trek.
Scene of Unimaginable Horror
"When I reached there, I saw a woman crying, a child crying. Bodies were lying scattered," Wani recalls vividly. His brother-in-law, Sajad, accompanied him during this traumatic experience. "For a moment, I felt I would not make it back after seeing all this."
Noticing that makeshift shops in Baisaran had been abandoned during the attack, Wani immediately ran to one, retrieved a bottle of water, and returned to comfort the distressed woman. "I told her police and administration were on the way," he remembers clearly.
Mobilizing Rescue Efforts
Shortly after assessing the situation, Wani sent an urgent message through a WhatsApp group comprising approximately 700 ponywallahs, requesting immediate assistance. However, only about 15 managed to reach the location, as security forces prevented others from approaching the area.
"We tried to help the wounded," Wani explains. "Baisaran is a large area and bodies were lying in different places. It took time to bring them together." He pauses significantly before adding: "These were not ordinary bodies. They had head shots."
Unforgettable Voices and Survivors
Certain voices from that tragic day remain permanently etched in Wani's memory. One woman, he recalls, refused to leave the scene. "She kept saying, 'My husband is here. We were just walking, taking pictures. Where will I go alone?'" he recounts.
Among the most haunting memories is discovering a man alive among seven bodies. "When we touched him, he spoke. He had bullet wounds in his neck and arm. I still remember his voice when he said what happened to him," Wani reveals. "Those words haunt me," he adds with visible distress.
The rescue team managed to transport some of the wounded down from the valley. "One man we carried on our shoulders, then on a charpai. He survived," Wani notes, highlighting one of the few positive outcomes from that devastating day.
Coping with Ongoing Trauma
The memories continue to weigh heavily on Wani's psyche. "Whenever they return and they do often, I try to keep myself occupied. I move around, find something to do or pick up the phone and call someone," he explains about his coping mechanisms.
As president of the ponywallah association, Wani maintains his professional responsibilities while grappling with the psychological aftermath of being a first responder to one of Kashmir's most tragic tourist attacks. His experience underscores the profound impact such events have on local communities who serve as both witnesses and rescuers in times of crisis.
