Pahalgam attack: Echoes the Srinagar attack of 1983
Dubela, Anuja Chakraborty: The Indian cricket team led by Kapil Dev was playing a ODI match in Srinagar against the West Indies team. The stadium was filled with fans and their cheers. Srinagar was about to make its mark in international cricket as it was hosting the first International match at the Sher- e-Kashmir stadium in October 1983.But this moment of joy did not last long. Celebration of happiness turned into a horrific event midway. Amidst the game,the spectators experienced the terrorist attack.
The Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium turned loud with the slogan “Pakistan zindabad! “. The cricketers were threatened , bottles and stones were thrown at them.
The valley of heaven witnessed something more terrifying even after two decades. 26 innocent tourist at the baisaran valley, Pahalgam shot dead by terrorists. The terror strike stole the peace of the valley, though the locals were almost on the verge of shifting establishing the same after a long struggle.
Seperated in decades yet the consequences that recurred was same, the fear, hostility of terrorism. The 1983 Srinagar ODI disruption and the recent Pahalgam terror attack have something common. The intent, aiming to instill fear among innocent civilians, disrupting the harmony nationwide.
This terror attack in Pahalgam ,where tourist were killed , reminded the horror during 1983 Srinagar ODI match. Both events witnessed betrayals of peace and harmony. In case of the former the spirit of sports was overshadowed by the gloom of fear. While for the latter the experience of ecstasy ended with the silence of destruction.
Edited by Soumik Chatterjee
