Handwara tragedy: Left for Tulips, returned in Coffins

Srinagar: A trip to the Tulip Garden—supposed to be a day of laughter, learning and lilting memories, turned into a nightmare for several students from a Sogam college.
The ill-fated bus which was supposed to take them to Tulip Garden in Srinagar skidded off the road and crashed, leaving around 22 students injured and two dead.
Officials said that the dead included Mymoona Ali, a final-year student and Asiya Rashid, a third-year student.
“We had just waved her goodbye”, said Mymoona’s cousin. “She was excited to see tulips. We never imagined that would be our last moment with her”.
“She left home around 7:30 am in the morning, but by 8:30 am, we received a call informing us that the bus Mymoona was in had met with an accident,” a family member recalled.
Panicked and praying, the family rushed to GMC Handwara, desperate for a glimpse. “We couldn’t find her there. Upon enquiring, we were told she had been taken to Srinagar. I called a teacher, who wasn’t sure, but shared a contact of a female staff member. She confirmed Mymoona was grievously injured — unable to speak.”
But soon after, a second call came. One that no parent should ever receive. “She’s no more.”
The tragedy has sent shockwaves across the Valley. A pall of gloom descended as people from every walk of life rushed to the homes of the deceased, offering condolences, many still in disbelief, even as the social media was flooded with tributes, prayers, and questions.
Amidst the grief, anger is simmering, with the questions beginning to rise, as what went wrong? Was it speed? Was it the weather? Or was it something — official negligence?
Locals claimed that the bus had expired fitness certification, alleging that the vehicle should never have been on the road in the first place. “If the claims of fitness expiry are true, the bus should never have been allowed on the road,” said a resident of Handwara. “Someone must be held accountable.”
Meanwhile, officials remained tight lipped over the issue at the immediate but — the same shall be updated, as and when any official response comes.
The government has since ordered a magisterial inquiry to ascertain the circumstances that led to the fatal crash. While the probe may bring facts to light, however, it can never undo what’s been lost.
What was supposed to be a cultural excursion turned into a funeral gathering. Students who survived the crash are traumatized, some unable to speak. “I sat behind Asiya, she was taking selfies and laughing. Moments later, I heard screams and saw blood”, said a shaken classmate.
The Valley plunged into mourning. Condolence messages poured in, politicians issued statements and teachers broke down while remembering their students — but for the grieving families, statements and inquiries offer little comfort