[Reader-list] Massacres - 4

[Pawan Durani]

Khirm, Sirhama - 1948

When a Dacoity looked like ‘Raiders’ attack

By Kuldeep Raina

Sirhama and Khirm are the two picturesque villages located on
Bijbehara-Pahalgam road. Khirm is the last Kashmiri village, which
opens above into Ashtadhar-Wularhama forests. While Khirm is one and a
half km away from Sirhama, the latter is close to the main road and
nine kms from the tehsil headquarters of Bijbehara.

Sirhama, derived from Suryahama has remained a great centre of
Sun-Worship in by-gone times and also finds mention in the Amreshvar
Mahatmya.

In 1948 there were eighteen Pandit families-all Bhats, who lived in
Sirhama. There were just six Pandit families, Rainas and Bhats in
Khirm. It was the first day of the moon-lit fortnight of Savan and the
other day villagers were going to celebrate Idd. The impact of the
raiders’ attack was still fresh in the minds of people, as raiders had
been pushed across just three months back.

Attack:

In the evening, villagers had come out of their houses to look for the
moon. A few Pandits had also joined them. Moon had been sighted, but
suddenly the tranquility was disturbed by the shouts of Jia Lal, son
of Thokur Bhat. He was trying to warn the villagers that the raiders
had come. The villagers thought he was making fool of them. Soon the
sound of a firing shot was also head. It was around 8 PM and darkness
was gradually setting in.

The raiders’ had the reputation of looting and killing Kashmiri
Pandits. When the first news of “raiders” reached Sirhama, Gh. Qadir
Dar had come out with a lamp in his hand. He was going to invite the
“raiders” to his home for dinner so as to give time to Pandits to
flee. As the light of the lamp made the movement of “raiders” visible,
the intruders got annoyed and fired at Gh Qadir. A bullet hit him in
the abdomen and he collapsed down.

The family of late Sat Lal Bhat had a marriage function to be
solemnized the following month. They had stocked everything for this
purpose. After the firing shot was heard, the family shifted the
women-folk to the house of a neighbour Ghani Nengroo. Sham Lal Bhat,
son of late Sat Lal Bhat hid himself among the bhang bushes. His two
brothers, Gopi Nath and Shamboo Nath accompanied other Pandits, who
went to inform police. Mirza Afzal Beg, the Revenue Minister was also
camping in Anantnag. After half an hour, the family managed to
retrieve 4-5 boxes, containing valuables and hid these in the bushes.

Massacre:

Soon three more shots were heard. Sat Bhat, Raghav Bhat and Tarachand
were closely related. Their houses formed sort of a single complex.
These families were taking dinner. They used to keep bored-firearms to
protect maize from bears. ‘Raiders’, numbering 10-15 in number forced
their way into their houses. They called Sat Bhat, Tarachand and
Raghav Bhat down and lined them up. Sat Bhat was shot in the temple.
He died on spot. Raghav Bhat was injured in the thigh. Tarachand was
lucky and received a mere kissing injury.

‘Raiders’ went to search all the Pandit houses in the locality. It
took them three hours. Gold and double blankets (Jora Pachi) were
special attractions for looters. Ladies handed over Tulsi, Talraz and
Dejhoors. The ‘raiders’ broke upon the metal boxes to see if any money
was hidden. A family had hidden silver coins in ash in a wok. This was
taken away.

Raiders also thrashed few Muslims. When raiders entered the house of
late Sat Lal Bhat, Razak Rather, the numberdar had tried to mislead
them. He told them the house belonged to a Muslim family. Rather was
thrashed by the raiders. Few pushthu-speaking villagers from the
neighbouring Dodu were moving with the raiders and possibly helping in
the identification.

The Muslim families had also fled from their homes. Only the brave
ones had stayed behind. Injured Raghav had been taken by the villagers
to the hospital in Bijbehara. The incident created tremendous fear
among the villagers, who did not dare enter their houses again. When
the raiders first reached Sirhama, they had tried to befriend local
Muslims, telling them to save their lives. The killing of Qadir Dar
was ample warning to Pandits that no one could save them.

Khirm:

>From Sirhama the ‘raiders’ went to loot Khirm Pandits. The Pandits had
taken dinner and gone to sleep. Mrs. Gopi Nath Raina, holding her 2½
year old son in her lap was still awake. There was a gentle knock at
the door. It was Nand Lal. Before Mrs. Gopi Nath could respond, he
left to knock at the door of Narayan Joo. Nandlal told Narayan Joo
that raiders had reached Sirhama. He had gone to Sirhama to meet the
Patwari. Nandlal added that the raiders had already killed two people
in Sirhama and advised him to immediately shift the family somewhere.
Naryanan Joo felt terribly disturbed. Nandlal also woke up other
Pandit families. Sona Kak’s family escaped to the neighbouring
Ashtadhar forests. Naryanan Joo’s family and others escaped to
surrounding villages.

The ‘raiders’ fired a few more shots. Sona Kak’s two sons Amarnath and
Dina Nath came down from the forest to find out what the firing was
all about. When they reached home, they found two raiders’ standing
guard at the main door of the house. Other ‘raiders’ had gone in to
collect the loot. The raiders took Amarnath  and Dina Nath as
captives.

Meanwhile their brother Gopi Nath also reached home. He too was
caught. Somehow Dina Nath managed to escape. After bringing the looted
goods down, they packed these into bundles. They then went to loot
other Pandits houses of the locality. Nidhan Bhat, son of Bhagwan Dass
and Shavjee, son of Thokar Ram were also taken as hostages.

Gh. Mohd. Bhat was among the first to learn that raiders were likely
to come to Khirm. His in-laws lived in Sirhama and they had intimated
him. Gh. Mohd. decided to inform Pandits. Before he could reach
Pandits' locality, the raiders caught hold of him. They asked him to
show his house. He was a rich man. The ‘raiders’, information was
accurate as they were guided by the Pushtu-speaking locals from Dodi.
Gh. Mohd. led the raiders to some other house. As the raiders entered
that house, Gh. Mohd. escaped.

The ‘Raiders’ loaded the looted goods on the shoulders of Amarnath,
Gopinath, Nidhan Bhat and fled towards forest. The ‘raiders’ told
Amarnath since he was a bachelor they would try to arrange a match for
him. When raiders and the hostages had walked 8 kms, they decided to
rest. Hasan Gujar, the tenant of Sona Kak lived here. The ‘raiders’
demanded food from him. ‘Raiders’ were four in number, while others
were locals from Dodi. One of these locals was quite friendly to the
hostages. They too decided to befriend him and requested him to help
them escape. The local man from Dodi told them, “Sirhama Pandits have
gone to inform the police. When the police will come, I will blow the
whistle. You should run away then.”

Police Station:

Meanwhile Sirhama Pandit delegation met Mirza Afzal Beg and related
what had happened. Gopi Nath, son of late Sat Lal Bhat was a good
friend of the Revenue Minister. Mirza Beg told Pandits, “How is this
possible that the raiders have descended on Sirhama? We have already
pushed them back.” The Revenue Minister made them wait till 5 AM.
Mirza Afzal Beg along with a big contingent of police left for Sirhama
at 5 AM. Why the police was not sent immediately remains a mystery?
Sirhama Pandits had met Mirza Beg at 9 PM. The police force under the
leadership of SHO Prithvi Nath ‘doctor’ chased the ‘raiders’ right
upto Gutli Bagh. The dacoits threw the looted goods into Sindh. One of
the dacoits was reported killed. As soon as the police reinforcements
reached the foot of Ashtadhar forest, the Dodi local whistled the
hostages to run away. They freed themselves as the ‘raiders’ were deep
asleep and began descending down through the short-routes.

When the hostages reached Herakhal, the local maidan, the whole Khirm
had assembled to give them a grand reception. They embraced and
fondled them in sheer joy. It looked like a festive occasion. The
villagers accompanied the freed people to their homes.

Retrospection:

Earlier in the morning Dina Nath, son of Sona Kak (Khirm) had brought
his family from Ashtadhar forests to home. A family member recalled,
“It looked as if ghosts had descended down on our house. Clay and dust
was all strewn around. The looters had broke open the boxes and made
topsy-turvy of these. They had taken away everything”.

In Sirhama not only Pandit ladies had gone in hiding but the whole
village had taken shelter in the neighbouring villages of Mahind,
Nowshehr, Hogam and Wapzan.

As the dust settled down, people and the administrators began
re-thinking on the entire episode. Was it a raiders’ attack or simply
a dacoity committed under the guise of raiders? Surmises were made
that the attack may have been the handiwork of some group of raiders,
who may have stayed back. Others said the ‘raiders’ were from
Gutlibagh, a village inhabited by Pathans. Some generations ago, few
of these Pathans had come to Marhama (Dodi) and settled there. The two
groups may have collaborated to commit a dacoity. As the raid was
fresh in the public mind, the dacoits used it as a cover. Lastly the
terrain was also favourable. Sirhama is the first entry point into the
forest, while Khirm was the last village. In Kashmir myths and the
history mingle too often.

*The author is General Secretary, Panun Kashmir Kashmir Sentinel