I will have to respect the Indian Standard Time for once.
I was to meet a friend at five in the evening on the day of the serial bombings in New Delhi. But the meeting got delayed — she could not leave office on time and my office elevator kept me waiting for twenty minutes.
We were chatting about good times together in college, how classmates have done well by themselves and making plans to catch up with other friends at the café inside a popular bookshop when the bomb at Barakhamba Road went off.
I had only read reports of how bombs exploded near cafes as people sat there sipping coffee discussing mundane things in life or shopped for household goods or just walked by. Never had I imagined that one day I would find myself in such a situation.
Within moments of the explosion, I saw people crowding the area, police men trying to control the situation and cameras furiously clicking away. The window panes of the cafe were shattered by the impact of the explosion and given that it was a low intensity bomb all of us in the place were safe.
I guess it was sheer luck that saved both of us — I take an auto rickshaw every day from the spot where the bomb exploded. Had we met a little early, or a little late, we might have been caught up too.
I assured family and friends about my safety and headed back to the office. It was the call of duty.
I chose the back alley while the sirens wailed and people jostled at the blast site. As a journalist I helped put out the story on the blast, which is fast becoming the norm in the country — scenes of destruction, loss of lives, grieving relatives and sense of helplessness.
I have been thinking ever since — as a human being and as a journalist — what should have been my priority. To help people who were injured or to report about the blood and pain?
I discussed my dilemma with my mother-in-law and she said I should have lent a hand. It could have been a friend or a family lying on the road crying for help. But I chose otherwise.
I put into practice the training I had received as a reporter — to tell the world about how the series of bombs went off in quick succession killing, maiming and scarring innocent people for life.
Ever since I have been asking myself — what if a friend was involved? What if someone even remotely known to me had been looking out for help that day?
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i think every what you did was right,its your ultimate duty to inform others and you did!no regrets need to be there.you did what was required of you then as a journalist.rather it is appreciable that the incident didn’t really make you sit and ponder over what was happening and what you should do and no sentiments came in and you followed your profession.
- Posted by B.LavanyaWhen i watched the news that day on TV, all the channels were repeatedly showing the dead body of a woman and an injured man nearby. The first thought that came to my mind was why the hell the person shooting this cant help the injured man.
Maybe its right to say that reporters are bound by their duty but isnt it a matter of life and death where we can clearly decide the priority.
Why do reporters are always able to reach on time and to the place where help is required but why cant help reach first?
- Posted by Sonal……ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.
- Posted by Joel AdamsAnother question the world press can ask itself. “If terrorism is propaganda of the deed, then do we have a responsibility to NOT report these incidents, as reporting them furthers the killers’ design?” This is not a suggestion, just a question.
Why would knowing the person who is injured affect whether you should have helped or not? Clearly, you should have helped rather than run away.
- Posted by Leonard WalstadWhile appreciating your attachment to the journalist job, I feel that you should have lent a helping hand to save life. The pictures are not very important and this will only provoke the anger or will make us more sorrow. Instead you should have engaged yourself in the act of lending a helping hand and described the incidents later.
- Posted by vanchiprakashWhat if we were not in such a rush to publish the “news” of attacks like this? Isn’t this the purpose of inhumane attacks like this, to attract attention to one’s self or their “cause”. What if they got no press coverage?
We as humans tend to gravitate towards the gruesome, and the terror vendors use that to gain attention and notoriety. How about we stop making it “news”?
- Posted by DougAs I went through all the comments, I just wondered whether all the people who appreciated the JOB n DUTY delivered by Meenakshi would remain as sincere and as committed towards their job as a reporter or journalist (if they were one) if someone from their family or their friend is one of the victims in front of their eyes? And if one would still go ahead filming the person just b’coz one swears by her/his DUTY? I am sure…none of us would ever give a damn to our JOB, DUTY or CAMERA at that moment (leave aside the lessons learnt during journalism)!
Another question…..what about all the kind people who selflessly and bravely came up to help the victims…..was it a part of their JOB PROFILES or DUTIES? I am sure those common people who came up to help and rescue, some of them would have been teachers, some shopkeepers, some business people, some IT professionals or anything else and as far as I am aware none of them have SAVING HUMAN LIFE as any of their job responsibilities…..why did they come up to help?
I understand the pressure which must be on reporters like you in a scenario like today’s where hundreds of news channels are competing with each other to come up with the most impressive news and shots. The more distressing and deplorable pictures a news channel shows the more success and appreciation for that channel!! But I swear…I and many others in this country would love to hear stories from news channels describing how their brave reporters, not just delivered best of their duty in a deadly situation but also struggled to save a life or two! I would also love to see some soothing shots of common people coming for rescue of thevictims, lending a helping hand, acting as humans; rather than just those heart shacking scenes of bleeding half naked people crying for help which are so mercilessly and proudly aired by TV channels! Even good things can make news…cant they?
Lets not just be inhuman professionals…let’s put ourselves into the shoes of those who have actually suffered and lost their loved ones in such disasters and then make a comment. Let’s cultivate within ourselves a blend of humanity and professionalism. I think that would be much more satisfying and would prevent many of us from being trapped into dilemmas like the one Meenakshi at the moment is into.
- Posted by ChhayaYou are a human first and a journalist later. As a human it comes first that you help save some one’s life that is in peril. Reporting about the blast and the death toll comes secondary. You stood true to your job but where do you stand when it comes to humanity? This time you missed helping someone, hence the line “what if a friend was involved?” at the end of your article. This proves that you have got a good inner self. I hope this does not repeat in your life but even if it happens again, listen to your inner self. I believe your pen, paper and camera will take a back seat then.
- Posted by Harjinder SinghYou said it. There is a contradiction in being a journalist and being a human being. That’s the reason why journalists fail to capture the reality on the ground.
with or without you telling the world about it the world would have learnt about it. Let’s not kid ourselves, a page one byline is what motivates journos.
Stop shedding crocodile tears. Leave that for the activists. And if you want ever to be a human being forget the glory of a byline and jump in to help someone.
You don’t have to wait for the next explosion, you can be a human being even today.
- Posted by palomalike a case study, there are no right or wrong answers!
if i would have been in your place, i would have immediately started helping and would have in the mean time started calling my colleagues to come at the particular place and lend a hand. as far as breaking story is concerned, others were any how going to do!
- Posted by rishialso, i would have called my family members to know about their ware abouts!
but then, neither i am a reporter nor i was at the scene
Didn’t you say there was a crowd jostling?
They could have helped. Were they simply spectators of a killing sport? Weren’t there police?
Too many cooks would spoil the broth.
Were the police blocking the crowd and hence anyone else who could have helped could not?
Then, therefore, you need to proceed with you work as a journalist. To tell people what happened. To let people realise that they should not hamper disaster sites where the police were used to control a crowd rather than for helping victims. That your community is encouraging the misuse of valuable human resource.
As a journalist, your story could illustrate how those crowds should back-off unless they are willing to help.
- Posted by miamidotTisk ,Tisk , you are writing this question to get opinions but deep down you know the answer!-or you would not have even asked this question. Of course you should have helped first,even if it was just holding a hand.(and why do you have to know them)..a 30 min delay in your story! whooptie doo! but even more appalling than your lack of humanism is that so many people are writing in supporting your reaction. until all human beings put other humans first we are doomed as a society. I know you were scared but fear only hurts everyone involved.
- Posted by lesley SchwabWell, there is no such thing like right of wrong in such situations. you did the thing that stuch first in your mind. Usually, people are confused and don’t think twice how to react responsibly or sensibly. Had I been there at that spot I would have done what had come to my mind first. However, if i have to sit at my computer desk in a nice cold room I could give many comments about what you should have been done at the spot.
- Posted by MurtazaThese bloody 786’s, neither they live life peacefully nor others. They are just like cancer on our society, sorry not only on our society but to the world too.
- Posted by vicky