Memories of 26th of January of 27 years ago

This is an incedent of about 27 years old when an attempt was made to kill the then Jammu and Kashmir Governor, General K.V. Krishnarao in 1995 in the Maulana Azad Stadium of Jammu during the ceremonial Republic Day function.The Governor escaped unhurt but eight other persons died and over 40 were injured as three time bombs exploded at earmarked places one after the other.The first blast occurred near the main gate just minutes before the Governor was about to conclude his speech. The second occurred close to the public block where the staff of the state Information Department staff was on duty manning the public address system. It took the maximum casualities. Those killed included the Field Publicity  Officer Anil Abrol and two of his staff.Just behind them was the media enclosure but all the media persons escaped unhurt. The third blast was close to the dais where the Governor was speaking.The incedent had shaken the Indian  psyche badly.
As Senior Correspondent of All India Radio in Jammu Kashmir, I was supposed to be there but couldn't.The official vehicle to pick me up didn't reach me in time. Having waited till the time I could, I took out my car and left for the venue of the Republic Day function taking my Personal Security Officer with me.Security people stopped me at the Jewel Crossing telling that the Governor had already arrived and none was to be allowed thereafter. I told them who I was and how crucial my being there was. My press card, car pass and presence of my PSO with a stengun, nothing would impress them.As arguments persisted, a senior officer came there saying that he knew me but no entry could be allowed. If allowed, it could be a question of his job, he argued. I was already late. 
But he suggested a plan for me to reach the stadium. He advised me to take the side road and enter the Government Gandhi Memorial college earmarked for general parking. I left my car  there and was about to cross a small wooden pedestrian bridge across a small drain to reach the stadium main gate, when a big blast was heard and smoke was seen rising. My first reaction was it could be part of some drama presentation by artists but soon huge number of people were seen rushing out of the stadium. Two more blasts were heard and it was all chaos. I turned back to my car and took an alternative route to reach my residence in the Radio Colony to file the rush version of the story that was revised after official version on casualities was received.
The Governor called a press conference at 4 in the afternoon. He gave details that timed devices had been planted just at the likely places where he was supposed to be at a particular time as the itinerary for the programme was always given on the invitation card. The explosions were the first of the kind in the terrorist violence raging in the state since 1990. Such a sophisticated devices and planning could not have been done without involvement of Pakistan.
A journalist asked the governor if he wasn't shaken by the blasts as three occurred one after the other.Unruffled,  calm and cool,  the former Chief of the Army Staff that he was, smiled a bit and said, "As armymen, we are made of a different stuff."Now I sometimes think, If the official vehicle getting late and the policemen further delaying me by diverting  to a longish alternate route, actually saved me from coming to harm as I was to take a seat just behind the Information Department staff that suffered casualities. God knows or may be even He doesn't. 

(Writer is a freelance journalist based at Hisar)