Srinagar, Aug 4: After battling for life at SKIMS Soura, Iqbal Ahmad Khan gave up on the sixth day after being shot at in head by the CRPF trooper outside his house at Chanapora on July 30.
 Tragedy once again struck the Khan family as Iqbal’s body arrived on Wednesday evening.
 It was a year ago that Iqbal father’s Abdul Majid Khan passed away leaving behind his wife, Hafiza Begum and four children.
 The 25-year-old Iqbal was a courageous youth who after six days of battling life finally lost to it on bed no 11 of Surgical Intensive Care Unit at SKIMS.
 As the beep sound of Central Monitor, which was installed to monitor his struggle for life, went off, Iqbal’s attendants cried vociferously and doctors rushed to his bed and lowered their heads in grief.
 “Iqbal was no more,” his relatives cried.
 This reporter was standing beside Iqbal’s bed and did not dare to ask anything to his wailing brother, Shabir Ahmad.
 “What will I answer to my mother, who is longing to see you alive at home. How can I convince her that you have left her in the silent world,” Iqbal’s brother hollered.
 To eke out a living, Iqbal left his studies when he was in 9th class, said one of his wailing relative.
 Witnesses said, moments before being hit by a bullet, Iqbal was sent by his brother to bring milk. They said he along with two other friends peeped from a narrow alley and received bullet on his head from CRPF.
 Eyewitnesses termed the firing un-provocative, which later led to huge protests swelling across the Valley.
 The injured Iqbal was rushed to SMHS hospital and later shifted to SKIMS Soura for specialized treatment. But he succumbed to his injuries at SKIMS.
 As the body was brought out of the SKIMS from Accidents and Emergency ward, people assembled there and shouted pro-freedom slogans and denounced the present coalition government. “We want freedom. Go India go back,” they shouted.
 This reporter followed the ambulance to his residence.
 As the word about Iqbal’s death spread, hundreds of people from Old Chanapora and adjoining areas assembled at his modest house in congested Lone Mohalla. As the crowd surged, Iqbal’s deaf mother Hafiz unable to hear loss of his son, sensed that her dear son is no more.
 Beating her chest, Hafiza moved from one room to another and yelled. “Where are you my beloved son. I can’t believe you are dead.”
 As his body was taken for burial to the local graveyard, Hafiza was among hundreds of women who wailed with emotions running high.
 Jostling through narrow lanes of Chanapora, emotionally charged youth raised pro-freedom, anti-police and CRPF slogans carried Iqbal’s body.
 Men, women and children bid a tearful adieu to him.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 4 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 4 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 5 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST