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| On Mother's day grief overwhelmed Syeda | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, May 9: Even as the mothers across the globe received greetings on Mother's day, an old mother was overwhelmed by grief near a shrine in Batmaloo area of the summer capital Sunday after she visited a photo exhibition held by a separatist organization (ISL) in a lane adjacent to the shrine. She fainted and regained her consciousness after quite some time. The woeful tale she narrated depicts the pain and sufferings of thousands of Kashmir mothers who lost their sons during the past two decades of conflict.
Like all mothers, Syeda loved her son, Manzoor Ahmad very much. He (her son) was shot dead by militants in 1994 for visiting an army camp frequently. The camp was temporarily set up in the area to keep militants away from the village.
As Syeda pulled herself together to narrate her tale, tears rolled down her wrinkled cheeks. "One day they (militants) came and asked about my son's whereabouts. Fortunately he had gone to see his relatives in Srinagar. The militants returned after three days and directed me to ensure my son's presence in the village next morning or face the consequences. I contacted my relatives who brought my son to the village. Next day the militants came and after promising me immediate release of my son, they took him along. But they shot him dead in Anantnag town."
Manzoor's body was identified by an acquaintance in the Anantnag police lines. "We received a phone call on the only phone in the village. The shocking news was not conveyed to me. I came to know about my son's death when his body was brought home", she said.
Syeda Begum did not see her son's photo in the exhibition. "The photos of slain people reminded me of my son. I missed a beat and probably fainted", she said in a feeble voice.
When asked why her son was shot dead, the aggrieved mother said: "My son was accused of getting wine from the camp. He was not an informer."
Syeda has no regrets. The killers of her son were eliminated in encounters with the troops. "I know Allah the almighty will do justice in the hereafter", she said firmly.
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