by Tahir Bhat
SRINAGAR: Baramulla lost a senior lawyer Abdul Majeed Rather to a multi-organ failure days after he was attacked by dogs. He died at SMHS today and was laid to rest by late afternoon. A resident of Dewan Bagh, he was 58.
Rather was a young lawyer whose career spanned over 30 years. He had been a public prosecutor thrice. His colleagues say he was the soberest lawyer at the bar who was never seen even talking in loud voice. “He was upright and honest,” one of the senior lawyers said.
Rather, a law graduate from AMU, was the son of Ghulam Qadir Rather, a teacher and a trade union leader who has worked with Sampat Prakash for most of his life. Rather was the nephew of Baramulla Bar president Abdul Salam Rather.
Rather’s crisis started on November 16, when he was attacked by dogs when he was returning home after offering his Fajr prayers. Post prayers, he was used to going for morning walks. The pack of dogs bit him on his face, right thigh and back. He had a serious fall while attempting to save himself. He suffered a fracture in his back for which he was being treated for almost a week when he vomited and was evacuated to the local hospital. Eventually, he was shifted to Srinagar and admitted to SMHS Hospital.
Soon, he went into a coma and was on the ventilator. He was unable to talk or move around. Doctors put him on dialysis as well. Rather breathed his last on Monday morning.
Rather’s demise was felt across the town. A large gathering rushed to attend his funeral prayers. He is survived by two daughters, a son and wife. His elder daughter is a post graduate and another daughter a graduate while as his son is in the twelfth class.
