Thiruvananthapuram: Ajith Francis, a native of Pattom was among the cheerful spectators who were watching the France- Germany match at Stade de France located in the North of Paris where blasts went off during the terrorist attacks on Friday night.
“Neither the players nor us spectators were worried when we heard three explosions outside the stadium. However, the scene changed in just five minutes and nervousness were visible on the faces of spectators when they scanned social media using cell phones,” said Mr Francis.
Mr Francis who is pursuing post graduation in Sciences Po University was all praise for the communication machinery which was co-ordinated well. For 15 minutes people we were given the choice to walk out of the stadium and in 30 minutes the stadium was sealed.
“Panic stricken spectators huddled in the centre of field. We got more scared as rumours spread that attackers might have sneaked into the stadium,” said Mr Francis who believed in his gut that the stadium was the safest place to be in.
His heart skipped a beat when a friend who stays closer to the site of the attack sites went missing from the stadium for hours where cell phones were switched off.
“We were among the last ones to leave the stadium. Hundreds of armed policemen had lined every inch of the stadium as we went toward the exits. Metro train stations were dotted with staffers who guided us. Our metro line, M4, passed through places where attacks had happened. There was total clarity everywhere as clear information on places of attack was displayed at each station,” Mr Francis said.
The Paris attacks were similar to the 2008 Mumbai siege as hostages were taken in Bataclan concert hall.
“The difference in Paris was that commandos stormed in without waiting to negotiate with terrorists. Preparedness in Paris was always high (especially after the Charlie Hebdo shooting). Last week, I came across a metro station that was sealed as army and police were busy checking an abandoned bag,” he said.
“Even on Saturday afternoon, ambulances were plying frequently on the streets that remained less crowded. My parents who are now in Africa came to know about the incident late but I was flooded with calls from anxious relatives from all over the world,” he added.
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