When news of the Pahalgam terror attack broke on April 22 at 2:30 pm, the Government Medical College (GMC) in Anantnag immediately sounded a red alert. Dr. Ruksana Najeeb, principal and anaesthesiologist, wasted no time. She evacuated wards, cleared entry points, activated the ICU, alerted the blood bank, and prepared 30 beds to receive the injured.
First Responders and Immediate Mobilisation
Two critical care ambulances were rushed to the attack site in Baisaran, nearly 50 km away. By 4:30 pm, the first of the 17 injured began arriving at GMC Anantnag, while others were treated at the Civil Hospital in Pahalgam. Senior doctors — including cardiologists, surgeons, and anaesthesiologists — were on standby, ready to act.
Miracle Surgery Saves Young Doctor
Among the first to arrive was 31-year-old ENT specialist A Parmeswaran from Tamil Nadu. He had no pulse or blood pressure and suffered multiple gunshot wounds. “His abdomen was filling with blood, and his arm was shattered,” recalled Dr. Najeeb.
The team swiftly conducted scans and tests, then performed a complex surgery from 6:15 pm to 10:20 pm. “We resuscitated him, used ultrasound-guided cannulation, and worked carefully around his neck to avoid paralysis,” she said. They retrieved two bullets — one splintered, one intact — and successfully stabilised him. On April 24, after ventilator support, Parmeswaran was airlifted to AIIMS, Delhi for further care.
Heart Attack Among the Injured
While Dr. Najeeb was in surgery, the casualty ward filled quickly. Another patient, Balachandra S, arrived without physical injuries but showed abnormal vitals. Tests revealed a myocardial infarction. The team thrombolysed him and moved him to the cath lab for an emergency angioplasty.
Relentless Service Without Rest
As reported by indianexpress, for three days, Dr. Najeeb and her team remained at the hospital, without a change of clothes or rest. “Now my eyes are burning,” she said, after finally returning home on April 25. During this period, hospital staff arranged meals and accommodation for patients’ attendants and provided clothes to those in need.
Massive Emergency Response Effort
As the day unfolded, Anantnag’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sajad Parvaiz confirmed that neighbouring districts dispatched at least 30 critical care ambulances. At Civil Hospital Pahalgam, where many of the deceased were brought, doctors treated women in shock and helped identify bodies.
Difficult Terrain and Determined Care
Rescue efforts faced challenges, as the Baisaran meadow — where the attack occurred — is a one-hour trek from the nearest motorable point. The administration provided All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) to transport the injured to ambulances. Of the 17 wounded, two arrived in critical condition with gunshot wounds, while others suffered fractures and fall injuries.
Another Airlift for the Critically Injured
Subodh Patel, a tourist with serious injuries to his neck and chest, was quickly stabilised at GMC and airlifted the same evening to the 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar.
A Day Etched in Exhaustion and Duty
Reflecting on April 22, Dr. Najeeb glanced at her step counter. It showed 18,000 steps — a grim testament to a day defined by urgency, resilience, and humanity.