Wheel, Wails And Veil

Azi could see her dream of a peaceful life collapse in front of her wrinkled eyes but couldn’t do anything.

Fearing that Hassan too would leave her like his elder brother, Azi decided to live separately within the house with her daughter Fehmeeda. “We will not disturb you now onwards,” Azi promised Hassan’s wife.

Under new agreement Hassan and his wife were given two rooms in the house. Hassan was not liable to feed Azi or Fehmeeda. This agreement lasted for just two months as Hassan could not bear sight of his mother’s painful eyes. Hassan finally decided that he cannot leave his mother and blind sister as wished by his wife. “I cannot leave my mother and sister no matter what,” he told his wife.

Infuriated by Hassan’s sudden change of heart his wife packed her stuff and left. In order to teach Hassan a lesson she left Iqra behind thinking that he cannot take care of her alone and would eventually come back. But she was wrong. In her mother’s absence Iqra grew up calling Fehmeeda her mother. After a long court battle Hassan finally got legally separated from his wife in 1998.

Azi’s house once again went calm. Its occupants started to rebuild their lives slowly.

In August 1999, Hassan married again. It was one of the happiest moments for Azi her daughter Fehmeeda and young Iqra. They changed into new clothes. Cooked delicacies and thanked God for being on their side despite odds.

Hassan’s new wife was a divorcee. She was a simple lady who instantly got mixed up with the family. “She treated Iqra like her own daughter from day one,” recalls Fehmeeda.

Unlike Iqra’s real mother Hassan’s second wife was more than happy to share house with Azi and Fehmeeda.  Once again it was a complete family. Azi thought nothing can snatch her happiness now. But she was wrong. Worst was yet to come.

On 2nd February, 2000, at around 8:30 PM, when Hassan was coming back to office after dropping DD Srinagar staff members, he was stopped by a BSF party near Batmaloo area. When Hassan was stopped he had two police constables and three staff members in the vehicle. After checking his vehicle Hassan was allowed to pass. But as soon as he began to move BSF fired on the vehicle from behind. Hassan and one of the police constables (Mohammad Amin) were killed on the spot. The attack left three others injured including two staff members and one police constable.

Till next morning Azi had no idea about her son’s whereabouts. She could only pray for his safety. Azi could not sleep that night. It was one of the longest nights of her life. Her mind was filled with scary thoughts. “What if he never comes back? What if he has met an accident? What if he has left me like his brother?” Azi thought.

While Azi prayed for her son’s safety Hassan’s lifeless blood soaked body was lying unattended on a rusted stretcher in Police Control Room. It was only next morning that Azi came to know about her son’s death. The news of Hassan’s death spread like wildfire in Safakadal area. Within no time small lanes leading to Azi’s house were filled with mourners.

Azi had no idea how to react as her world has fallen apart. She was numb. She resigned herself into seclusion and refused to see anybody.

Around 10 AM, Hassan’s body was brought home in a police vehicle. “They (policemen) told us that he was killed in a cross firing which is not true. Hassan was killed deliberately. It was a cold blooded murder,” says one of Hassan’s cousin’s who claims to have talked to survivors of the incident.

For police and government officials Hassan’s death was just another collateral causality that happened during exchange of fire between militants and BSF.

Nobody bothered to investigate BSF’s claim that they retaliated to militant fire in which Hassan and police constable got killed.

It was only after testimony of injured staff members who were travelling in the vehicle with Hassan that things became clear. Earlier that day a wanted militant had slipped from BSF’s custody. This has infuriated BSF. By the time Hassan and other staff members reached Batmaloo, streets were almost deserted. Shops were closed early and there were hardly any people in the streets. After checking their vehicle BSF fired upon them from behind. One bullet hit him on the back and came out from near his heart. Hassan and one of the police constable succumbed on the spot. Within no time police reached the spot and took Hassan and constable Amin’s body into their possession. They shifted injured to the hospital. But as it was already late police did not inform the family immediately.