Sadiq Shaikh, Mubin Shaikh and Shabana Parveen
By A Mirsab, Twocircles.net,
Solapur (Maharashtra): Shabana Parveen, 53, a mother of twenty-eight years old Mohsin Sadiq Shaikh had convinced him to get married by the end of 2014 and for that she had already seen some girls in Solapur. Mohsin had promised her that after Eid he would pick one of them as his bride.
It was double happiness for her because in coming weeks Ramadan was going to start and soon after Eid she can start making prepartions for Mohsin’s marriage.
However, on the evening of June 2, 2014 a phone call crashed her entire life when she was informed that Mohsin was brutally killed in Pune.
Mohsin Shaikh
In the first week of June 2014 sporadic violence was triggered in Pune as an aftermath of alleged uploading of derogatory images of Shivaji and Bal Thakerey.
Mohsin, who was working as a manager in an IT firm was caught by Hindu Radicals belonging to Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS) when he come out of a Mosque in Hadapsar after offering Isha (night) prayer and was brutally murdered. Mohsin had nothing to do with offensive Facebook post.
Parveen chokes up while recalling that day two years later, “I could never enjoy life after that unexpected phone call informing of my dear son’s death. Those rioters took away all our happiness forever.”
According to Parveen, her son was a quiet person who would always kept a smiling face and would never hurt anyone.
“He would always use kind words, he never abused anyone. He would offer regular prayers but would never hate others. If his killers would ever know him they would have respected him for his behavior than thinking of assaulting him”, she describes Mohsin.
After his killing it was stated by the witness to police that alleged members of HRS spotted beard and a skull cap on Mohsin and beat him to death.
After spending five years in the IT industry, Mohsin had established himself professionally and had plans to get married soon. The reminder of his unfulfilled dream of marriage disheartens Parveen because it was her dream too and Mohsin had left the choice of finding his wife to his mother.
“When I would ask him what kind of girl he wants, he would only say that he has full faith in me and I can find better match for him”, she recalls touching exchange with Mohsin.
This is the third Ramadan that Mohsin is not with the family and due to his absence family could not experience happiness of the month of Ramadan and Eid.
“Ramadan is just like any other months at home after my son was killed by extremists. All of us cry thinking of him while we make iftar everyday”, she breaks down while mentioning this.
Mohsin’s father tells TwoCircles.net, “I had only two sons and Mohsin was a hardworking and an intelligent boy. I did allow him to go out of Solapur to pursue his dreams thinking at least one son was at home. He was accomplishing so much, he was selected as a manager in an MNC only a month earlier.” But he now lives with a guilt feeling, “Now I blame myself why I allowed him to step out of Solapur.”
Mubin Shaikh, 23, younger brother of Mohsin looks after his parents and is trying to take over responsibilities that once were on Mohsin’s shoulders.
“My father is diabetic and has now 60 years old. Mother too has become very weak after Mohsin’s death. We do not have anyone at home to look after them. Although I am trying hard but when they recall his memories, I too cannot hold on to my emotions”, says Mubin who is working as a team lead in a car showroom in Solapur.