Cancelled Gulmarg gondola ride saved Nagpur family of 6

NAGPUR: The Kolkars of Nagpur were lucky to have escaped the Pahalgam carnage by a day after their trip to Baisaran Valley was rescheduled on Monday due to a chance cancellation of their Gondola ticket in Gulmarg.

Swati Kolkar, nursing officer at govt-run medical college and hospital here, says it's a miracle that she and her family of six are alive. "The cancelled Gondola ride saved us from bullets at Pahalgam on Tuesday," said Swati from Srinagar airport. "The airport has turned into a shelter camp with the premises cramped with tourists trying to flee Kashmir," she said.

Waiting at Srinagar airport, the family could see a sea of tourists queuing up at ticket counters. "As we were around in Barsain on Monday, we headed for Sinthan Top on Tuesday," said Swati, who got to know about the attack after returning to Pahalgam. Swati said she was curious when security personnel stopped their vehicles and asked their identities.