Srinagar: In the heart of Humhama, a quiet corner of Srinagar, an air of sorrow hung heavy over the residence of retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Ghulam Hassan Bhat.
He may have been a tough cop during his tenure in the J&K Police Department, which, many believe, could be one of the reasons why he was able to maintain his composure at the wreath-laying ceremony of his son Muhammad Hamayun Muzamil Bhat, who was killed in the line of duty in Kokernag encounter on Wednesday.
But the tragedy that has befallen his family demanded strength of an entirely different kind.
Ghulam Hassan Bhat was here to bid farewell to his son, a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
The grief etched onto the retired IPS officer's face was impossible to conceal, despite his valiant attempts to maintain composure.
Occasional sighs and tears welling up in his eyes bore witness to the immense pain he was enduring.
As people from different walks of life swarmed the fallen cop's residence to offer their condolences, shrieks of wailing women from a room broke the occasional silence outside where senior Bhat was taking the condolences.
The entire neighbourhood had congregated at Bhat's residence, offering their condolences and sharing stories of the fallen officer, Humayun, whose captivating smile had been his trademark greeting.
As political leaders, bureaucrats, and fellow officers paid their respect, it was clear that this was a loss deeply felt by the entire community.
Grief is, all around the residence, overwhelming.
People entering and leaving Bhat residence conversed about the family's good nature as well as Humayun's captivating smile with which he would greet everyone.
People from all walks of life including political leaders and bureaucrats were visiting here but the father of the fallen cop was maintaining his composure.
Yet, amidst the sea of condolences, it was Ghulam Hassan Bhat who stood as a beacon of stoicism.
As visitors rose to offer their Fateh for his departed son, the realisation that his beloved child was no longer with him weighed heavily on his heart.
Still, he fought back the tears, drawing strength from the memory of his valiant son.
Tragedy had struck Bhat family in more ways than one.
Humayun was married just last year on September 28, and the couple had not even celebrated their first anniversary before fate intervened.
Adding to the family's grief, Humayun had become father on August 14.
The pain was magnified by the fact that the tent where condolences were now being offered had been the same place where the family had celebrated Humayun's marriage just a year ago, a stark reminder of the swift cruelty of life.
Prior to his posting in south Kashmir, the fallen cop had served at Cargo in Srinagar, a change he could not have foreseen as his last.
Ghulam Hassan Bhat's son had embarked on his duties, unaware that it would be his final assignment.
Within the tent, while the father strove to maintain his composure, relatives and neighbours remembered Humayun as a true gentleman.
"He would treat his neighbours as family,” one neighbor recalled. "He would always greet us with a smile on his face and hug us even if he was in uniform."
As the tragic events unfolded on that ill-fated Wednesday evening, those close to the family recalled the gradual loss of the father's usual charm.
The day had started like any other, with Ghulam Hassan Bhat, also the chairman of the Masjid Committee, overseeing some work at the Masjid alongside other committee members.
"In a lighter vein, we asked him if everything is alright, and as always, Bhat Sahab smiled and encouraged us to focus on the task. Little did we know that we were witnessing the last moments of a father's happiness before the world as he knew it came crashing down," another neighbour said.
A Colonel of the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) Manpreet Singh, an Army Major Ashish Dhonack of 19 RR, and DSP Hamayun were among the three officers killed in an encounter with terrorists in Kokernag area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Wednesday.
Earlier, a sea of mourners had turned up to pay last respects to Bhat, whose mortal remains, draped in a tricolour, arrived his home.
Among the mourners was also his wife, who stood with their one-month-old daughter in her lap.
Humayun was a member of the 2018 batch of the J&K Police Service.
DSP Hamayun was a symbol of aspirations and dreams.
His contributions to the community extended beyond his duty, evident in his interactions with local youngsters and his love for the game of cricket.
DSP Hamayun succumbed to excessive blood loss, as stated in the reports, after sustaining injuries during the counter-terrorism operation.
