Tahir Hasan Makhdoomi
A 19-year-old innocent groom killed in forces custody.
It was the harvest season ,and the peasants were so cheerful’ happy and were feeling joyous.
People were too busy with their routine work.
Locals, after toiling for harvest season’ were busy with personal and social responsibilities.
Preparations were also underway for my son’s wedding at our home. In our area, the forces deployed had announced that if any stranger or guest arrives in the village, it was mandatory to inform the camp authoritied. We also went to the nearby military camp to inform about the guests who had come for the wedding of my son. We also invited military officers to the wedding as well and offered them sweets on this joyous occasion’ said Gh Hassan Makhdoomi.
On the night of September 12, 2013, we took the baraat and went to the bride’s house in ShahlaalHandawara. We brought the bride along with us, and upon seeing the newly wed couple, we were overwhelmed with joy. I was very happy.
The grieving father of the slain groom, Ghulam Hasan Makhdoomi, said’ with tears in his eyes. After a brief silence, he recounted the sad tale “What did I know that all my happiness would be temporary, and an unending pain would haunt me throughout my life? Who could have known that my son would be mercilessly taken from us and killed for no reason?”
“I was a teacher in a local Islamic school, and this is what led to my son’s death,” Ghulam Hasan Makhdoomi continued, his voice filled with sorrow. “Our family is associated with an islamicorganisation’ Jamat e Islami and it was because of this religious affiliation that my son was arrested and killed.”
He recounted the tragic and unfolded . “On that day, my son brought a bride named Afroza home. At around five in the midnight, the local military unit raided our house without any warrant and arrested the groom ( my son Tahir Hassan) without any justification. That day, all our happiness and joy turned into sorrow. Our world crumbled on the third day when we found our innocent son’s dismembered body scattered in a nearby village.”
With tears in his eyes, the grieving father concluded by saying, “Where are those champions who claim to uphold humanity and peace, while those who oppress and take lives continue to exist?”
When I returned and entered the house, my wife asked me, “Where is our son?” I assured her and guests who had come to participate in the wedding ceremony that he would return tomorrow. I had faith that my son was not involved in any illegal activities, and the forces and their officers were aware of this. However, despite all this, i could not stop my helplessness and i was feeling restless.
The next day, the sky befall upon us when the forces suddenly informed us that they were going for a search operation, and in the ensuing encounter, my son was killed.
I couldn’t understand how this had happened. According to the statement of the groom’s father, in his anger, he had confronted Major, asking him why only his son had been killed in the explosion. He challenged them, “Tell me how many of your soldiers died in this blast? This is entirely false. You are blood thirsty and your hands are soaked in blood . You’ve ruined mother’s hopes. You’ve strangled a bride’s dreams.”
According to the groom’s father, on the same day, he went to the police station to file an FIR, but the police delayed and did not register the case. However, after the intervention of the courts, the police eventually filed an FIR. Still, but I could not find my son. Instead, far away in a mountainous region, they found a piece of his body, blown with explosives, and I only received his charred leg.
While narrating his heart-wrenching account, the grieving father mentioned that his son was studying in a college in Sopore, and he had no affiliation with any underground or militant organisation. They intentionally implicated his son falsely, portraying him as sympathiser to militancy and claimed he was killed during a search operation by militants. Despite all this, the tribunal associated with the courts and human rights denied the military’s claims and ordered an investigation against them.
While i was recording the woefull account of unfortunate family, some elders from the local village, including Ghulam Muhammad Laway, Abdul Rashid Paddar, Gul Muhammad Tantrey, and Muhammad Rajab Dar, were asked about the incident. They unanimously stated that the slain groom, Tahir Hasan Makhdoomi, had no affiliation with any militant or banned organization nor was having any sympathy with militants.
They argued why, instead of arresting the groom, the forces had subjected the bride’s family to this tragedy. They expressed their disbelief at how our society had turned so brutal, where instead of celebrating the bride and groom’s sweet dreams, they were handed over to ruthless hands of death. Such actions, they believed, reflected our society’s brutality.
Following this incident, the then Chief Minister of the state, late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, through his Healing Touch policy and his slogan ” GoliNahiBoli (No bullets, only talks),” tried to win over the public opinion and sympathy. Public, however, observed through these attempts and dismissed Mufti Sayeed’s claims as mere illusions.
There is no doubt that when even a groom is not forgiven and is not given a brief moment to enjoy the most beautiful moments of life and fulfill social responsibilities, it shakes the conscience of one’s sensitive conscience.
Although taking into consideration the genuine demand of the public, the then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter, former Chief Minister MehboobaMufti, visited the bereaved family to express their condolences. An inquiry into this extrajudicial killing was ordered, and a formal procedure was initiated’ however, as of now, no military officer involved in this incident has been punished, leaving the family of the groom in despair and are still awaiting justice.
CASE 3
Introduction:
This report documents a case of a missing individual in Kashmir, who was subsequently found dead in forces’ custody. It highlights the circumstances surrounding the disappearance, the efforts made to locate the individual, and the subsequent investigation into their death.
Background:
Kashmir has witnessed a prolonged conflict, and allegations of human rights violations, including enforced disappearances, have been reported for the last 33 years. In such a context, this case underscores the importance of accountability and transparency in the actions of security forces.
