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Istanbul terror attack: Abis Rizvi's last rites to be held on Wednesday

Rizvi was among the 39 people, including another Indian, to have been killed in a terror attack in Istanbul on January 1

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Film producer Abis Rizvi
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Film producer and sports enthusiast Abis Rizvi's funeral will be held in the city on Wednesday.

Rizvi was among the 39 people, including another Indian, to have been killed in a terror attack in Istanbul on January 1. Abis will be buried at Rehmatabad Qabrastan, Nariyal Wadi in Mazgaon at around 3 pm, next to the grave of his younger brother, Sakib, who passed away four years ago. It is still not clear whether the family will take his body to their house—Meena Mahal, near Almeida Park in Bandra—directly from the airport, or to the cemetery.

The family is likely to fly out from Istanbul with his body on Tuesday after completing all formalities. They are expected to reach Mumbai on Wednesday.

"The Ambassador is doing everything to facilitate the repatriation of bodies. We are also facilitating the visas of the family members who want to go there to personally collect the bodies," said Vikas Swarup, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson. He said Rizvi and Shah visited Istanbul as tourists and they "happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time".

Rizvi, a prominent builder and Bollywood producer, is the son of former Rajya Sabha MP Akhtar Hasan Rizvi. The eldest among the three siblings, Abis had gone to Istanbul with his friends to ring in the New Year, when the terror attack took place.

"He was always against terrorism. When our conversations would switch to internationals issues, he would always condemn Daesh and what was happening in Syria. He was against all of it," said Javed Rizvi, Abis's cousin and trustee of the Rizvi Education Society, where Abis was secretary.

"He was a gentleman and a very nice person. He was interested in sports. The Rizvi educational institutions are doing well in sporting activities as Abis took a keen interest in it," said Javed.
He is survived by his wife and six-year-old son. While Abis's parent have flown to Istanbul, Abis's sister—who lives in the US—is flying down to India for the funeral. "The body will reach Mumbai in the morning. We will then decide whether to go to his house first or to Rehmatabad," said Javed.

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