Gulam
Mohi-ud-din Dar had never imagined that his world would come apart with
just one phone call from his son-in law Ijaz Ahmad from sub-district
hospital Kupwara on April 15, 2016.
The day had begun like any other Friday. Gulam Mohi-ud-din had
returned home after offering Friday prayers and was sitting on the
verandah of his one-storey dilapidated house. His phone rang at 3.30 PM.
“I recognized the caller it was my son-in-law Ijaz Ahmad from
Nutnoosa. I thought he is calling to inquire his mother in-law’s health
who was not feeling well. Ijaz told me there was firing on protestors
after Friday prayers by army at Nutnoosa.”
“I grew anxious when in he started pleading and weeping: ‘Dad
please try to control yourself and console the family.’ I shouted at him
saying that why he was saying all this to me.”
“He replied in a very grim tone. ‘Arif Hussain has died in firing. I
requested the doctors at Sub-District Hospital to save his life but
they could not do this as it was too late. Arif had already lost too
much blood,” Ijaz informed me.
“I was shocked. Panic coursed through my veins. My fatherly
instinct prompted me to act quickly as I was speechless and could not
believe this. I somehow summoned the strength to call my wife.”
I asked her to get ready quickly, saying we are rushing to
Sub-District Hospital Kupwara as Arif has received minor injuries in the
clashes at Nutnoosa.”
“My wife and younger daughter rushed towards the road bare foot. I
somehow got a Sumo and we reached SDH Kupwara to find our son lying on a
stretcher with his eyes closed for ever,” said Gulam Mohi-u-din.
“The army men have shattered our dreams of seeing our son a
chartered accountant. They snatched our son from us,” rues Arif’s mother
Naseema.
“Despite being poor, we had decided to give good education to Arif.
That is why we sent him to his sister’s house at Nutnoosa to get good
schooling in Handwara.
“In Handwara he was also taking tuitions in commerce. We had made
plans to get his admission in Islamia College of Commerce after his 12th
class. We were not expecting this,” said Naseema.
“He had been shot in the leg and was lying in a field, army men
didn’t allow us to lift him and shift him to hospital,” said Tanveer
Ahmad, a close friend of Arif.
“After Friday prayers we held a peaceful protest demonstration and
marched on the road. We were not pelting stones on army as army camp is
located on a hill top. How come we pelt stones on a hill top? In the
meanwhile some army men came down from the camp and opened fire on us.
Injured were lying on the road for more than 25 minutes, crying for
help, but army men didn’t allow anyone to shift the injured to
hospital,” said an eye-witness.
“When army men were firing indiscriminately on the protestors, we
ran for safety. We saw a bullet hitting Arif and he fell in a field.
Later when firing stopped and army men left the spot we searched the
spot and found Arif lying in a pool of blood and writhing in pain. We
immediately removed him to hospital but it was too late,” he said.
“Arif had received bullets in his legs, main reason for his death
was blood loss. If he could have been brought to hospital well in time
his life would have been saved,” BMO Kupwara, Dr. Muneer Ahmad, told
Greater Kashmir.
The poor family at Harkarpora hamlet in Awoora area of Kupwara
remains inconsolable, as villagers and relatives are trying to console
them.
“My brother was a student. He was not pelting stones on army why he
was shot dead,” screams his younger sister Ruqaya who is a 9th class
student.
Arif was enrolled in government higher secondary school Handwara in class 11th class.
On April 15, soldiers of army’s 47 Rashtriya Rifles stationed at
Nutnoosa camp opened fire on a protest demonstration, killing Arif and
injuring 4 others.