Narikkuni native's zip line ride video captures first gunshots

Kozhikode: What began as a joyful afternoon zip-lining through the scenic Baisaran Valley soon turned into a scene of horror for Narikkuni native Nihal and his family. While filming a family member on the ride, they inadvertently captured the chilling footage of the attack that claimed several innocent lives.

Nihal, his two cousins and a cousin's mother had reached the valley at 2.20pm and went immediately for the ride.

"I was waiting at the start point of the zip line and focusing on the cousin who took the ride before me. She reached the middle of the ride when I heard the first gunshot. At first, I thought someone was bursting a cracker. Initially I could not understand what was happening. Soon I noticed a man walking around 100 metres away holding a gun and a lady lying on the ground. It was then I understood the seriousness of the situation," said Nihal.

He said his cousin and the aunt were on the other end of the zip line and they ran away with other people as the area got filled with sound of gunshots.

Nihal said a local lady told him to escape by running down and he along with another cousin climbed over a fence and took another route and ran down the slopes.

On reaching downhill, he came to know that a local Kashmiri resident had provided shelter to her cousin and mother in his house. He travelled around 2km and reached them.

"The local residents were very helpful. They gave us water and calmed us down. They even gave clothes to my cousin," said Nihal.

It was later when Nihal examined the video that he noticed chilling images of a terrorist shooting tourists in the background. A man in white dress was gunned down by a gun-wielding terrorist even as there were repeated gunshot sounds. Nihal said the video clip showed the time as 2.25pm.

He said his cousin was yet to recover fully from the trauma and he would stay in Srinagar till the family members recover.