By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
Shadab Ahmad thinks hard to count the number of legal cases filed against his son, “Six in Delhi… eight in Jaipur… thirty-five in Ahmadabad.” His son Saif Ahmad was arrested from L-18 Batla House, the scene of infamous encounter in New Delhi on Sept. 19, 2008. Four years later we are nowhere close to unraveling the mystery that led to the death of three Indians that day- one Police Inspector and two civilians.
Just six days before the encounter, five serial blasts had killed 30 people in New Delhi. With media pressure on Delhi Police and Home Minister to act, they delivered a made for media scene in the nation’s capital. They somehow thought that they can get away with murders. But their calculation went wrong, Muslims who were already frustrated with their witch-hunt in the name of terrorism disputed police claims when media descended on Batla House to cover the encounter.
Questions were raised right away about the genuineness of this “encounter.” People demanded probe to find out the truth, government rejected that demand. National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) went along with Delhi Police’s report, not even bothering to visit the place or talk to neighbors and eyewitnesses. Government resisted all attempts to release any information about this encounter. Post-mortem reports of Atif and Sajid who were killed in the encounter and released only after RTI requests further disproved police version of events.
Atif Amin and Mohammad Sajid along with Saif Ahmad belonged to Azamgarh. Media and police attention soon moved to Azamgarh. A place known for its intellectual personalities like Shibli Nomani, Hamiduddin Farahi, Rahul Sankrityayan, Kaifi Azami was labeled as “nursery of terrorism.” Parents thought twice before sending their children outside for education and employment, sign of a terrified community.
What kind of future holds for children of Sanjarpur, Azamgarh?
Saif’s story is similar to the story of almost all terror-accused. A young man without any criminal history is detained and then charged with number of terror cases. Sometimes same incident results in multiple police cases. Given the slow pace of Indian justice system, one may end up spending a lifetime in the jail before he is acquitted of all charges. In this topsy turvy world of terrorism, burden of proof rests with the innocent and those who ruins people with false charges are given medals and promotions.
Shadab Ahmad was never officially informed of his son’s arrest. He doesn’t know how many more legal cases his son has to face or when their legal torture will come to an end. He has faith in the laws but does not fully believe that the courts will deliver justice.
Last year, I visited Sanjarpur to interview Shadab Ahmad. Just outside Ahmad’s house is a small masjid. There is a maktab running in the masjid teaching little boys and girls to read Quran. As I look at those beautiful smiling faces I come to a realization that fight for justice is important for not only Saif and others like him falsely accused of terrorism but also for these children. Can we ensure a India where citizens are not afraid of their police, where innocents do not wither away in jail, where a person’s future is free of regional, caste, religion, or gender identity.