Held in Gujarat, Kashmir man's family awaits justice

Held in Gujarat, Kashmir man's family awaits justice

Zahid Maqbool

SRINAGAR JAN 28: "Yeh Gujarat hai, yehan dekh key chalna padta hai" retorted the Gujarat ATS (Anti-Terrorist Squad) Chief to the repeated queries of the family of Bashir Ahmed Baba (30).

On the 14th March 2011, news and pictures flashed on television channels 'terrorist arrested in Gujarat'. The news came as a shock to the Baba family, who could not believe their eyes that the person whose pictures were flashing on television was none other than their own son Bashir Ahmad.

"The news came as a shock to us. The ground beneath our feet trembled and we could not believe our eyes" said Nazir Ahmad, Bashir's brother.

Bashir, a resident of Rainawari area of old city in Srinagar was arrested by the Gujarat police at Samarkha village in Anand district of Gujarat on charges of a conspiracy.

Bashir had gone to Ahmadabad a month back for cleft deformity training. He soon joined Kimaaya, a cleft centre and craniofacial research institute and was working as a camp coordinator.

Basher was putting up at the hostel of the research centre. He would often call his family in Srinagar but for days together, the family received no call from him. They had no idea about the plight of their son but not too long, when they saw his pictures flashing through television and police labelling him as terrorist.

"Initially, when Bashir did not make a phone call, we thought him to be busy with his work. But when for days together we received no call from him which made us concerned and suspicious and then one day we saw him on T.V labelled as terrorist" said Nazir Baba.

The family claims that Bashir was arrested the same day when he stopped calling back Home. But it was only after fifteen days that he was presented before media. The family denies the police claim that Bashir was arrested in Anand district of Gujarat but rather at Ahmadabad. They say that he was arrested at his hostel along with his two other colleagues.

According to Media reports, police had claimed that Bashir Baba was an active Hizbul Mujahideen Member and had come to Gujarat for recruitment of local youth on the directions of Hizb commanders Bilal Shera and General Abdullah.

Bashir's arrest dented the family badly; his brother Nazir had to leave his studies and work as a salesman at a shop at Lal Chowk. "Our family is quite big. Basher was our main source of income. But owing to his arrest we feel shattered" lamented his brother Nazir Baba.

Baba complains that, no help has come to the family from any quarter, be it main stream or separatists. "We approached everyone from politicians to police officials, but no one really did anything for us." said Nazir.

The family had then pinned all its hope on Chief Minister's grievance cell, but much to their disappointment. They plainly refused to take up our matter saying that it has happened outside the state.

[State Observer]