Amid emotional scenes, bodies of lance naik Muhammad Iqbal Sheikh and his father Ghulam Mohiudin, who were killed in a fidayeen attack at an army base in Jammu, were laid to rest here this afternoon. The bodies were flown here today from Jammu.
A pall of gloom descended on Reshipora after the bodies reached their native village. Six soldiers and a civilian were killed in the attack. 10 others, including six women and children were injured. Three militants were also killed in the operation that last over two days.
Braving chill, thousands of mourners had assembled outside Iqbal’s house. Later in the afternoon, the mourners thronged Lone Mohalla Reshipora to have last glimpse of the deceased. Amid cries and wails, the bodies were taken for burial.
“These killings are nothing but tragedies and destruction for Kashmir. The Kashmir conflict is snatching more lives of Kashmiris. Be it militants, policemen, army soldiers, or civilians, only Kashmiris are getting killed. Both India and Pakistan should talk to each other to resolve this issue,” said Gulzar Wagay a local. “The death of our loved ones is a jolt to entire Reshipora.”
Iqbal who served as lance naik in the army was recently posted from Chandigarh to Jammu while his father had gone to Jammu some days before to spend some time with his son.
According to his relatives, Iqbal Sheikh (30) is survived by his wife, one and a half year old son, three sisters, brother and old mother. Iqbal’s wife, son and father were living with him in family quarters in the Sunjwan camp.
“He got married just two years back,” said Abdul Hamid Wani, one of a close relative of deceased. Iqbal had joined the army way back in 2006. He had last visited home in November last year, Wani added.
The grief-stricken villagers said that they did not tell Iqbal’s mother, Hajra Begum, a heart patient, about their killing for past two days. However, on Tuesday afternoon, Iqbal’s mother suddenly saw two coffins entering in the lawns of her house as wails of despair cut through the air in entire Reshipora.
For Iqbal’s family, he was the only hope for a better life. Inconsolable, his family members stood near the coffins, even as the last rites were performed. His wife, however remained silent as tears rolled down her cheeks.