Saleema’s son Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar was one among the 3 militants released in exchange of passengers of an Indian Airlines flight.
SRINAGAR: Saleema Begum dreads this day. It is the seventh anniversary of the hijacking of the Indian Airlines flight IC 814 and the memories have returned, like every year since 1999, to haunt Zargar family.
Saleema’s son Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar, chief of Al-Umar Mujhadeen, was one among the three militants released in exchange of the passengers of hijacked plane. He was the only Kashmiri militant released at Kandahar, while two others, including Jaish-e-Mohommad chief Moulana Masood Azhar and Omar Sheikh, were Pakistani nationals arrested in Kashmir for subversion. Life has been a nightmare for them since.
“We had no information when Mushtaq was airlifted from Central Jail Srinagar to Delhi. We came to know it later through the media. His release has brought loads of misery to our family. We were subjected to continuous raids by the security forces,” says Saleema.
Since 1999, when Mushtaq was released, the family has slipped into oblivion and avoided the gaze of the media. But this has hardly helped them because they have always been on the radar of the security forces in the state.
“My son Fayaz Ahmad was arrested after Mushtaq was released. He spent two years in jail only because he was Mushtaq’s brother. Zahoor, my other son, was also picked up from the street and released after three months of interrogation,” says Saleema.
Seven years on, the family claims to have no contact with Mushtaq Zargar who is now based in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).
“I have only met him only once when he was in jail and since then there has been no contact. Even after his release, we have no contact with him and neither do we know where he is,” says Saleema.
Trying to forget their past, the family is now looking towards the future and trying to rebuild their lives. “We have seen enough of torture and harassment. The security forces searched even wallets of our women folk but nothing incriminating was found. We have not even bought a phone because we fear that it may be used against us,” says a family member.
Mushtaq was one of the senior militant commanders in the Kashmir valley. He had floated Al-Umar militant outfit in 1990 and most of its militants were locals in the age group of 15 to 20. The outfit was responsible for a number of attacks on the security forces.
They were also responsible for kidnapping of several high-profile people for getting their comrades out of jail. After Mushtaq was arrested in early nineties, the security forces went whole hog against his outfit and killed and arrested most of its cadres making Al-Umar a defunct organisation.
Now, Mushtaq is one of the 20 most wanted militants in India. Jammu and Kashmir police say he has several cases of murders and kidnapping to his name. “His case is now being handled by the CBI,” says SM Sahai, inspector general of police, Kashmir.
A hijack drama and a traumatised family
- The flight that flew from Kathmandu was hijacked on Christmas eve in 1999 by 5 Pak nationals
- The plane landed in Amritsar for refuelling but when Indian government deliberately delayed the process, they threatened to kill all passengers on board
- The hijackers stabbed to death Rupin Katyal, 25, who was returning home from his honeymoon
- Ultimately, the plane landed in Afghanistan, where the hijackers agreed to release their hostages in exchange for the release of three Muslim extremists
- The hostages were released after the fulfilment of the demands of the militants
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}