Badyari’s Killing Shatters His Family
By Sana Altaf
11 August, 2010
KashmirTimes
SRINAGAR, Aug 10: After walking through long narrow lanes, one reaches the deserted house of Ghulam Nabi Badyari. Few steps away from the gate of the downtrodden house stand two wooden pull carts. Both locked to an electric pole, the carts stink of dirt, with flies and mosquitoes buzzing over them. These carts have not been cleaned or used for past six days since the death of Ghulam Nabi Badyari for whom these stinking carts were only means of earning.
Middle aged Ghulam Nabi Badyari was not only the bread earner for his widowed mother but also supported his widowed sister. However his death, after being shot by security forces, came as a catastrophe to whole family.
“He was all I had in life. He lived for me and I lived for him. But now I have nothing in life. I am deserted,” said aged mother of Ghulam Nabi. Ghulam Nabi would earn his living by collecting and selling the rags. Since he had divorced his wife some six years back, he lived alone with his mother after his two brothers separated from the family.
“My brothers have been living separately for the past seven years now. Ghulam Nabi alone supported mother since then. He alone looked after her,” said Ghulam Nabi’s sister.
She added that Ghulam Nabi would not only earn, but would do all the household work himself. He would wash clothes, cook and clean the house before leaving for his work, she added.
“After coming home from work he would cook dinner himself and serve it to me,” recalls Ghulam Nabi’s mother.
On the fateful day, Ghulam Nabi had gone out to buy vegetables since there was nothing to eat at home. As an eyewitness revealed on the basis on anonymity, “It was August 4 around 8.00 PM. The curfew was relaxed and there was relaxation in curfew restrictions. Like everyone else in our locality, Ghulam Nabi had also come out for buying vegetables.”
He said that Ghulam Nabi had bought some potatoes and was holding them in his shirt when suddenly the CRPF men on duty in a bunker near by shot him in his abdomen.
“There was no stone pelting, no violence. Everyone was peacefully buying vegetables even then CRPF men fired at him with no reason,” witness said.
While people rushed to help Ghulam Nabi and take him to hospital, they were stopped and beaten by security forces.
“They said let him die here and scared people away,” added the witness.
However, a woman had managed to drag Ghulam Nabi to some distance after which he was taken to the SMHS hospital by some boys of his locality in a load carrier. Ironically, the boys accompanying ailing Ghulam Nabi were also brutally beaten up.
“But even after being injured they took him to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries,” adds the witness.
Ghulam Nabi’s mother has now no one to take care. She lives alone in two room mud house.
“My life is deserted. I have lost hope of life now. My heart has been torn apart. Nothing can give relief,” laments Ghulam Nabi lonely mother.
