Srinagar, Apr 8: A winding alley leads to this 3-storey house on the corner of Salfia Colony in Lal Bazaar Srinagar. The aura around is gloomy. Pain and anguish is visible.
In the house, chaos is evident everywhere. People are coming in and out. With each incoming female mourner the tone gets shriller and space shrinks. Moulana Showkat’s mother, wife and daughter sit in the foyer of the house. Women around them console and wipe tears on their faces.
Amid these scenes, Moulana’s son, a management graduate, comes out of the house. Shoaib Showkat clad in Pathani suit and black sweater is followed by his fellows. His legs shiver and tremble in the public park and he takes a deep breath followed by a glass of water.
“I want to perform ritual ablution of Abu. Please let me to Maisuma,” Shoaib tells his friends. Maisuma was the place where his father was killed. And his body was placed outside the Masjid where he was going to lead congregational Friday prayers.
Maulana at the time of this attack was accompanied by his nephew, Rizwan, a student of SP School. Rizwan is consoled by everyone. He doesn’t relent and his cries go louder.
“Rizwan is suffering from trauma as he was with Showkat sahib at the time of the gruesome incident. He is a witness to his killing,” said a neighbour outside this house.
Rizwan narrates his ordeal in a room calling Abu Jee every now and then. “Every Friday I take off from school and follow Abu Jee to Masjid at Gaw Kadal. And today I was moving ahead of Abu Jee on stairs when suddenly a huge blast occurred. As I turned back I saw him lying down. Dust was hovering around,” he uttered amid tears flowing out of his eyes.
Moulana is survived by two brothers who are also part of his joint family. “It was Rizwan who rang up home informing this sad blow to the family. Besides someone from local police station told us about the incident,” said their relatives.
Outside, the narrow alley is filled by public. Now more people have joined in. They are discussing with each other Moulana’s gentle nature.
“His was a noble soul in our locality. I saw him leaving the house today morning wearing short coat over Kameez shalwar guarded by security personnel. His house was attacked earlier. He had to erect these tin sheets over this boundary for his security,” said his close neighbour Muhammad Shafi, a retired government employee. His other neighbours echoed Shafi’s views.
“He was helpful to everyone be it any occasion. We knew this family for past more than two decades and his killing is unjust,” they told Greater Kashmir.
In between this all, his brother Reyaz Ahmad announces the burial time and leaves with Shoaib and Rizwan to Maisuma to offer funeral prayers.
(C) GK
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