Sajid Raina
Bandipora, Apr 21 : Firdous Ahmad, a Tavera driver from Kema village in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, had never imagined that he would return home empty-handed, leaving behind the vehicle that had carried his livelihood, now buried under the layers of mud on the Ramban highway.
In the early hours of Sunday, Ahmad, was heading toward Jammu when landslides hit the Srinagar-Jammu national highway near Ramban.
By the time he reached Kailamode around 3:30 am, the rain had intensified. Within minutes, the parts of the road collapsed, triggering panic among the drivers.
“We had slowed down because of the rain,” Firdous said. “Just five minutes later, water came gushing in. I was with another driver. I told him to get out. Our priority was to save our lives.” The landslide swept away several vehicles into a deep gorge, he said, adding that his vehicle was not among those that fell but was buried in the mud.
Only a portion of its side remains visible now. With no way to recover it, Firdous left the vehicle behind and returned home.
“I came back today, leaving the vehicle stuck in the mud,” he said. “That wasn’t just a vehicle. It was the only source of income for my family.”
Firdous is the sole earner for a family of six, including his four children and an elderly, unwell father who requires regular medication. “His treatment alone costs me four to five thousand rupees a month,” he said. “Every expense in the house was managed through that car.”
He had been working independently, taking passengers to Jammu and back to support his family. The loss of his vehicle has brought everything to a halt.
“With the vehicle gone, I have nothing,” he said. “I don’t know how I will manage now. I’ve been taking care of my children and father through this work. I just want to be able to start again.”
Standing quietly in his home, Firdous now hopes for support from the people around him. He also urged people to exercise caution during weather advisories. “Weather conditions can change suddenly, as we saw during the landslide. People must stay alert and follow weather warnings to avoid such unforeseen dangers,” he said—(KNO)
