Page 33 - Tehelka Issue 13 - July 15, 2018

jammu & kashmir

and mother. Rayees was an engineering graduate His mother opened the door of a
“Both my sons were efficient at stud- who had graduated from the University cupboard to show us two formal suits
ies and have principles as well. I never of Haryana. He was teaching in IIT Raf- hanging inside which were decorated
questioned their decision neither I have iabad, Baramulla, around 60 km sfrom with garlands.
cried after they were killed,” said Adil’s Srinagar. His mother, in her late 60’s, “I have only one wish in life that I too
mother. still mourns his death and the path he die soon so that I can meet him,” she
Adil’s mother showed us a pho- chose. said in a choked voice.
tograph. The picture was a collage On reaching Kakapora, Tehelka with Another rebel from the same area
of Nayeem and Adil, properly lami- help of a local was looking for Rayees’s was Shakir Ahmad Gujoo also known as
nated and wrapped in a white colour house. A lady was sitting on a bench ‘Abu Hanzala’ was a class 12th student.
handkerchief. outside a medical shop. She was con- He had cleared his class 12th board ex-
As we (Tehelka member and local) stantly wiping her tears and looking at ams and was all set to leave to Chandi-
started to leave, Adil’s mother handed the nearby graveyard. garh for higher studies. Besides, he was
us a purple bag full of nuts and toffees. With all our strengths we greet- also helping his father to run his shop.
“You have come here in the memory of ed her and while greeting back she Shakir who was the native of Kaka-
my beloved sons how can I let you go pressed a kiss on our foreheads. When pora, Pulwama, was chased by police
empty-handed,” she said. we mentioned that we want to meet when he ran away and never came
In a similar way, 20-year-old Sa- back.
meer Ahmad Bhat too left home and His mother Shameema showed us
was killed on April 18, 2018, in Pulwama his luggage that is still packed lying in
district’s Drubgam area, which was Most of the a room corner and a sheet spread over
also the hometown of Sameer. Security militants are it. She opened up a closet and showed
forces gunned him down after a six- us his school I-card, smartphone and a
hour gun battle. highly educated picture.
Sameer was famous for his looks and belong to Although, she didn’t speak a word till
– long hair with beard and a well this time but,her dry lips, wrinkled face,
build body; a school dropout who hit well-off families. and sunken eyes were explaining her
the headlines in November 2017 and When they leave pain and grief that she still is in.
emerged as another poster boy after “I went to every police officer, every
the death of Burhan Wani in July 2016. homes, they take place where I heard he is but I was not
When Tehelka reached Sameer’s nothing with them, able to trace him,” she said.
home, we saw posters of deceased mili- Shameema was 17 when her brother
tants pasted everywhere — outside and except for clothes too died in an encounter. Soon, she was
inside the house, and in rooms. ‘Sameer and sleepers diagnosed with anxiety and depres-
Tiger’ was written on these posters in sion. Her parents married her in order
colourful texts. to make some changes in her life.
While entering the home, we saw “When Shakir arrived in our lives
a huge black stone with ‘Sameer Tiger’ the parents of Rayees Ahmad Dar, she (me and my parents) we were healed.
engraved on it with golden ink. The pointed us towards a grave — that’s his We never knew how and when Shakir
whole family encircled us and spoke to grave and I am his mother. became Abu Hanzala”, said Shameema
us at length. His likes, dislikes, hobbies, She asked us to tag along with her Shakir and his associates were holed up
etc. through narrow lanes and by-lanes that by the army in the new colony of Kaka-
“He was never afraid of anyone and led to her house. She opened a door and pora on June 21, 2017.
was daring. He was here at home for brought cushions for us. Shameema called up everyone from
continous16 days before he was killed,” “He was the brightest among all my police to relatives to help her to reach
said Sameer’s mother children. Whenever he used to come the spot. She wanted to plead to Shakir
home he would take me up in his arms to surrender. “I ranged SHO, begged
The aggrieved hearts and cajole me like a child,” she said. him to accompany us to the spot but he
During the time Sameer’s mother con- Rayees, who would come home once refused and said the operation is head-
versed with us, not even for a single in fifteen days, was confined within ed by the army.”
time she addressed her son as ‘Sameer’ the four walls of his house due to the The only thing Shameema regrets, “I
but ‘Tiger’. She showed us a video on a continuous shut down for almost six never saw Shakir even once after he left
cell phone. In the video, Sameer was months. home; he never came to meet us.
helping them to pluck apples in their Like others, Rayees also left home
apple orchid. one evening to never return. letters@tehelka.com

Tehelka / 15 july 2018 33 www.Tehelka.com

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