Jammu, Aug 18(KNS): Arif Rashid, an ambulance driver from Kijiyai village in Jammu and Kashmir, played a central role in saving the lives of more than 50 people after a cloudburst hit the Paddar region of Kishtwar on August 14 during the annual Machail Yatra.

When the disaster struck around noon, Arif was stationed near the yatra route as part of routine emergency service. As mud, rocks, and debris began sliding down the mountains, chaos broke out among the thousands of pilgrims moving along the path.

Arif managed to escape being caught in the landslide, but instead of stepping away, he ran toward those trapped.

One of the first people he noticed was an elderly woman stuck under the mud. With no equipment, Arif pulled her out using only his hands. From that moment, he began moving person after person out of danger — sometimes alone, sometimes with help from bystanders.

Without stopping, he loaded the injured into his ambulance and drove nearly five kilometers over damaged tracks to reach the closest medical post.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

According to those who witnessed the events, Arif made multiple trips through unstable ground, even carrying some of the injured on his shoulders.

For the next three days, Arif continued the work without returning home. He remained on-site, working alongside other volunteers and medical teams.

He used up all the medical supplies in his vehicle and only left after ensuring all survivors in his vicinity had been transported. On August 17, he returned briefly to refill supplies and then resumed duties.

Officials involved in the relief operations later confirmed that Arif’s actions helped keep the number of casualties lower than expected. His timely movement of the injured to safety allowed medical teams to respond faster.

Pilgrims and locals now identify him as the person who did not step back when conditions worsened. His efforts during the critical hours of the disaster have become part of the local account of the cloudburst’s aftermath.(KNS).