Kulgam: Saima Akhtar thought children were setting off firecrackers. Akhtar, one of the teachers at Government High School at Gopalpora in Kulgam, took a stick to give a hiding to children for bringing fireworks to the school.
As she rushed to where she heard the sound, she saw Rejni Bala lying a few metres away from the school building with blood spewing from her head. Terrorists shot Rajni in the head killing her right away, days before.
Saima Akhtar tied Rajni's dupatta around the wound to stop blood while crying for help. Later, doctors said she was dead on arrival. Rajni was one of the latest victims of the spate of 'targeted killings' triggered by terrorists in the region.
The Indian Express has a report on how Rajni's colleagues at the school still struggling with the reality that their beloved friend is no more with them.
The school is shut since the morning of May 31, but teachers turn up every day only to weep in each other's arms. They are unable to fight back tears as they talk about Rajni Bala, a vivacious teacher with infectious energy who taught social science.
Shahida Maqbool who have been teaching for 20 years, still feels Rajni's blood on her. Maqbool says she learnt so much from the Rejni who was younger than her.
A teacher for over 12 years, Rajni joined the Gopalpora School in March 2017, according to the report. Her husband Raj Kumar is a teacher at a different school in the same district.
The five grieving colleagues of Rajni feel better when they are together comforting each other than staying home with families, because they could fathom what they are going through.
Akhter and Maqbool struggled comforting Rajni's 13-year-old daughter at the hospital, arriving straight from school, still in uniform.
They are living with the pain of missing her signature on May 31 in the attendance register.
Peer Javid Ahmad, another colleague, used to bring the register to the door for Rajni to avoid her having to sign taking off her shoes.
Every morning since the killing they meet up on the way and walk to the school together, despite their families consider it risky, because they wouldn't anyone go alone, said Fayaz Ahmad.
Akhter is painfully aware that as they walk back home every day taking the same path Renji took, they will be reminded of her.