The railway bridge at Haranpur is a beautiful example of old iron railway bridges constructed during the British era. It was likely built in the 1890s and underwent renovation or repair in 1936. The bridge is also known as Victoria Bridge. It is a remarkable piece of engineering and well worth seeing. The scenery is equally captivating, with the River Jhelum flowing beneath it.
I visited the bridge on March 18, 2009, from the Haranpur side. Surrounded by large green trees, the atmosphere is peaceful and serene—an ideal spot for a picnic. The bridge is located about 35 kilometers from the Lilla Interchange on the M2 Motorway, at coordinates 32°34'52" N, 73°09'30" E.
There is a macabre story associated with this bridge. I was told that during the horrors of Partition in 1947, a train carrying thousands of Hindu and Sikh refugees was attacked here. The driver allegedly stopped the train right on the bridge, where rioters ambushed it from both ends. Thousands were killed, and only a few survived—those who managed to jump into the river and swim to the banks, where some were reportedly helped by local residents. I cannot verify this account, but I would appreciate it if anyone could provide more information, such as the exact date of the attack, who was responsible, where the train was coming from, and which region the victims belonged to.
My cousin Nasir Mahmood informed me just a few days ago, that the victims of this massacre were buried in well, near the railway station of Haranpur, but closer to the village of Osman. But how many were buried there, he could not inform. I shall try to find more information during my next vacation to Pakistan. (15.06.2014.)The narrator was 17 years old in 1947, and interestingly, his father was working for the railways at the time and, by a strange coincidence, was the engine driver of the same ill-fated train. The gentleman was enthusiastically sharing the details when I made a tactical mistake: I asked him whether his father had prior knowledge of the attack. This question suddenly changed his mood—he became slightly agitated. From that point onward, he stopped sharing any further information, and all his responses turned negative.
He simply answered "no" to questions such as: Did he participate in any way? Did he see anything? Did he see the dead bodies?—even though he had already told us that he was 17 years old at the time, was in Haranpur during the incident, and that nearly five thousand people had been killed.
He also told me that, in addition to this incident, two more trains were attacked near Malakwal, on the other side of the River Jhelum. Attacks on trains were a widespread phenomenon during Partition on both sides, yet it is surprising that there is so little detailed material available on this important subject. Perhaps someday I will be able to find more information.
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Keep it up! You are really doing a splendid job.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your appreciation.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the normal length of the bridges bored pile between Lalamusa to Jhelum.
ReplyDeleteSo interesting and I love your photos
ReplyDeletethis train inncident was happened in usman village a large pound bank.localy called Dhann.train was coming from khewra and Pind dadan khan and its surouding villages
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this information.
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