RAIPUR: Nazakat Ali, a Kashmiri woollen clothes seller, received a hero’s welcome in Chhattisgarh’s Chirmiri town for his brave act of saving around 10 tourists from the region during the gunfire incident at Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22 this year.
Ali had risked his life to guide four families from Chirmiri, those of Shivansh Jain, Arvind Agrawal, Happy Wadhawan and Kuldeep Sthapak, to safety when they were caught amid the terror attack at the scenic valley. The families had left Chirmiri on April 18 for a summer holiday and arrived at Pahalgam on April 21.
As news of his arrival spread, hundreds gathered at Podi Square in Chirmiri, waiting for hours to meet and honour him. The crowd greeted him with loud cheers, chants of “Nazakat Ali Zindabad,” bursting crackers, and showering him with garlands and bouquets as he stepped out of his vehicle.
It was the occasion when eyes of many welled up with tears as they recollected the Pahalgam incident but everyone’s heart also swelled with pride at Nazakat's bravery and his spirited emergency response.
Deeply touched by the reception, Ali said, “The people of Chirmiri are my brothers. I always feel delighted visiting this place. Happiness comes with mutual care, understanding and shared values. Those who commit wicked acts will surely get punished.”
“Despite the adverse scary situation in Pahalgam, he did not lose courage and set an unforgettable example of Kashmiriyat and essence of Indianness by safely evacuating his Chirmiri ‘brothers’ and their families”, said the locals who welcomed him.
