Reyaz Rashid
Srinagar, July 2: In an unexpected turn of events, around 322 Hajj pilgrims, primarily from Kupwara District, faced a significant inconvenience upon their return to Srinagar Airport today.
The pilgrims, who arrived at approximately 4:00 PMon SpiceJet flight 5202,discovered that their luggage had been mistakenly swapped with that of pilgrims from Assam.
After completing the main airport procedures, the pilgrims proceeded to the luggage belt area, only to be surprised by the sight of luggage tagged for Guwahati, Assam.
Further inquiry revealed that the luggage intended for the Kashmiri pilgrims had been erroneously sent to Assam.Airport authorities quickly addressed the issue, informing the affected pilgrims of the mix-up.
The authorities assured them that efforts were underway to retrieve and return their luggage as soon as possible. In the meantime, the pilgrims were advised to return to their homes and await further instructions.
This mishap has caused considerable distress, particularly for those pilgrims hailing from remote areas such as Machil, Keran, Teethwal, and Tangdhar. These individuals will now have to undertake additional journeys, incurring extra expenses, to collect their belongings once they arrive in Srinagar.The airport authorities have expressed regret over the incident and promised swift action to resolve the matter.
Pilgrims affected by the luggage swap are urged to remain patient as efforts continue to rectify the situation.
One relative expressed their frustration, saying, “We faced a lot of hardships and inconvenience due to this mix-up. Our sacred items, including Aab Zamzam, the holy water from Hajj, have gone to Assam. We have nothing to offer to our relatives and family. We demand that SpiceJet authorities take stern action against the cargo people responsible for this mistake.”