Exclusive! Pan Am 73 survivors talk about Neerja Bhanot’s brave act

“Neerja was standing right next to the exit. She could have easily escaped first but she chose to push everyone else out. She went to save the kids who were stuck inside and got shot from behind. She slid out upside down.”

Dharmendra Shah

Age: 50

Profession: Businessman

I was 21 then. I was part of the Avishakar Academy Of Performing Arts. We were travelling to the USA for a series of performances. Neerja seemed like just any other airhostess until we reached Karachi and the terrorists took over. We had no choice but to follow the terrorists’ instructions. We were told to raise our hands and sit. Then we were told to rest our heads on our hands and bend down. We sat in that position for almost three hours.

After a point we couldn’t help but plead them to let us use the washrooms. Neerja swayed the terrorists to allow us to use the washroom telling them that the passengers would cooperate better if they were allowed. She persuaded them to let the children drink water too. Around 4 pm, we were served some cold drinks and snacks.

The most incredible memory is that of Neerja gesturing the passengers to hide their American passports. It was an American aircraft and Americans were their target. Had the terrorists got all the US passports initially, the picture could have been different and even more drastic.

One baby was crying continuously. One of the terrorists picked up the baby and started strutting up and down with a machine gun in his hand and a rifle hanging from his shoulder. He had grenades on him. I can’t imagine what the baby’s mother must have gone through then.

When people began escaping, the terrorists, who initially walked in wearing airport security uniforms, changed their clothes and tried to escape with the rest of us. At the airport we identified them and they were captured by the security officials.

 Neerja was standing right next to the exit. She could have easily been the first one to escape but she chose to push everyone else out. She went back to save the kids who were stuck inside and got shot from behind. She slid out the exit upside down. When her dead body arrived in Mumbai, she looked fresh and beautiful because all her wounds were on her back.

Had there been a VIP or a minister on our plane; all the lives would have been saved. We had a screening of Neerja for the survivors. We stood still and numb, long after the end credits rolled.