By Sheikh Nasir Hussain, NAK
Margi (Wadwan, Kishtwar): Collecting fodder for their domestic animals, fire-wood and eatables for winter was not new for the inhabitants of the hill locked village in newly created Marwah tehsil as they were doing it since centuries. The structures of wood and mud, they were living in, had provided shelters to their ancestors and offspring. But they had never thought even in their wildest dream that they will lose everything in less than an hour.
Tragedy struck Margi on October 21 and the entire village was reduced to ashes. What is now left is the debris of houses, bodies of domestic animals and perturbed dreams. Gloom of pain, suffering and anguish is all visible on the faces of people now living under open sky with stretched hands.
The fire, which engulfed the entire village completely destroyed over 250 structures including 160 houses, started from an abundant house and soon the villagers found themselves running for their elusive safety.
The locals claimed that within an hour the entire village was raised to ground and they could not even dare to fight back as the wooden structures – build decades ago – were all in flames.
A local resident Muhammad Ramzan said that he was first to saw smoke coming out of the house of Ghulam Nabi at around 10:30 PM on October 21. “I raised an alarm and villagers started coming out of their houses”, he told News Agency of Kashmir.
“However, we got little time to save our belongings and houses as the flames spread like wildfire throughout the village”, he said.
Another Village Shaban Lone said that he heard some blasts during the incident but it was learnt that batteries of solar lights had exploded in some houses.
“It was like Hell”, he said adding, “There was fire and destruction every where and people were running to save themselves”.
Talking to News Agency of Kashmir an aged woman, Sharifa Begum said that she was sleeping when she heard hue and cry outside. “When I came out I saw my family members running out for safety”, she said adding, “As we came out portion of our house was also in fire”.
“The Fire spread as most of the villagers were sleeping at that time”, Ghulam Ahmed, another villager said. “There is no electricity in the village as such people usually go to sleep at around 8 AM”.
The tragedy struck villagers, who mostly belong to farmer community, were now eyeing on government to rehabilitate them.
“Hamara To Sabh Kuch Jal Gaya, Ab Hakumat Hi Kuch Karay To Theek Warna Hum To Yahin Mar Jaian Gay (We have lost everything and now we may die if government failed to come to our rescue)”, said Rahman, another villager.