I feel happy I helped her, says photographer who saved J&K girl
photojournalist Dar Yasin’s alacrity in rescuing a hurt Kashmiri girl while on duty drew him praise from all over, striking a note not just with Kashmiris but also people across the country and beyond for what many felt was a symbol of hope in the Valley’s troubled time.
On Thursday, Khusboo — a Class 12 student — was one of the scores of high school girls demonstrating in Srinagar’s Nawakadal area when a stone hit her on the forehead. Blood gushed out and her friends panicked, finding no one around to help. Yasin tossed his camera aside, leapt to Khusboo and scooped her in his arms and rushed to get her a cab to the nearest hospital. The image — of Yasin running with the girl in his arms — was captured by another young photojournalist. His story went viral after HT reported it on Saturday. Thanks to the quick thinking, the girl got to the hospital in time, was treated and is now stable.
Here is the detailed interview that Dar gave to HT’S Srinagar correspondent,
Abhishek Saha:
We were covering a protest by college girls in Srinagar. Suddenly, I saw a girl bleeding from the forehead. I took some pictures and then realised there was no one around to help her.
Her friends were panicking. I left aside my camera and took her in my arms and started running to see if I could find a car and take her to a hospital. I told the girl’s friends not to worry as I have two daughters, and she is just like one of them. It is human nature. You can’t leave a wounded person like that. If you are the father of two girls, you cannot see anyone’s child suffer helplessly .
When I realised there was no one to help, I just decided to help. I feel happy that I helped her. Pictures will keep coming. It happens many times. In May 2005, there was a blast (near a school in Lal Chowk in Srinagar). My colleague and I were there and I saw a woman badly injured... I went to her and minutes later, she died in my arms... I am not the first one to have done this. There are so many colleagues who would have done the same.