Tawfeeq Irshad Mir
Sometimes when the body is overwhelmed with scars, it is apparently complex, where to begin and where to culminate, likewise the valley has horrific stories encapsulated in it, and it coagulates the blood, and the mind disperses in grief. Unidentified killings have been the most orchestrated war technique in valley, and one such horrendous act that captivated my consciousness, I was on vacations, back to my native village goripora, a small village in sopore town of Kashmir, was staying at home, lost in Prosaic things, suddenly my phone beefed, as I turned to check out, the headline pierced my memory, accelerating my heart beat, as I clicked the link anxiously, the suspicion turned into reality. The headline portrayed as “hurriyat activist Hakimul_Rehman Sultani shot dead outside his home by unknown assailants” the incident took place on 8th September 2018,and the person who was shot dead, whom I knew was Hakimul_rehman sultani, the son of Mufti Nizamuddin, from Bomai Sopore, a meticulous village just at a distance of mile from my native village. Hakim-Ul-Rehman sultani, a prominent figure, an ardent socialist, a political activist, man of calibre, bound with charisma, an unparallelled orator, was well known across the political and speratist spectrum, born in a very illuminated family, Mr sultani grasped the figures of science, political scenario, social cause earnestly. He rose to prominence shortly after the 22 battalion from Rashtriya Rifles fired indiscriminately on civilians near main chowk Bomai, in which two native civilians were killed, this incident provoked the native citizens, already volatile, equipped with abilities to resist oppression, the native villagers joined by several other adjacent villages, heralded the establishments all over the India, “and I must say that, Hakim-Ul-Rehman sultani was the man of the moment” he single handedly jolted the political establishments, and pressured the responsible authorities to initiate legal proceedings against the culprits, I still remember his conservation with the then deputy commissioner Baramulla, his presence, wit and language coupled with truth, influenced the DC baramulla to commence to his demands, even the then chief minister Mr Omar Abdullah, expressed his outrage over the incident, and promised to conduct fair trial against the assailants, Mr sultani was a great unifier, he United all the sections of the community to amplify the protest against civilian killings, “Mr sultani:the man behind dislocation of camp from Bomai village” that’s how he contributed to the village, the day celebrated as “victory day” in Bomai.
The more I write about him, the more energy I need, because it is heart wrenching to write about someone who is no more, shortly after the camp was dislocated, the veteran separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani arrived at Bomai to extend his sympathy to the families who lost their kins and to express the gratitude to the native villagers for being strong enough, a stage was set, where Mr sultani addressed to the people, and after Mr Geelani was asked to address, he utilised his half time praising Mr sultani, such was his aura.
During the protests, he was shot at his leg, but he recovered faithfully, the real breakthrough came after Burhan wani incident, he was asked to join hurriyat conference headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, he headed the resistance campaign all over North kashmir, participated in almost hundred rallies, delivered almost more than hundred sermons, his words continue to echo, such was his presence on ground, he pulled crowds in large numbers, his advanced way of putting slogans, energised the youth with more power and generosity. He was the talk of the down during that unrest, the valley faced. When the unrest subsided, he was slapped with PSA and put behind bars, and shortly after he was released, only to seize his heartbeat. Such unabated mysterious killings, an advanced War technique to muzzle voices, has been on plethora, likewise Mr Shujaat Bukhari was assassinated outside pres enclave, standing at every inch, the valley beholds the cruel, the monsters, the wilds, masked persons, if unmasked, a devil resides inside. The killing of Mr sultani sent shivers down the spine, and speculates the wildest beast in the jungle, “it was a clear vindictive political victimisation” he was killed, either to malign his stature or to muzzle his voice, sometimes the persons within the party are neutralised, if contradictions arise, called potential threat,.
The unresolved mystery although claimed his life, but left his five wailing daughters in abysmal, at a very young age they lost their father to this conflict, and it jolts my nerves and consciousness as to how they will keep going despite grief that unleashed their innocent minds. “Who killed Mr sultani? Continues to be a mystery, maybe because, the valley is fond of mysteries ”
(The author is a B.SC Honours Nursing student at GMC Srinagar. Views are his own [email protected])
