NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

My Son is Not A Bomber, But Innocent: Kashmiri Father

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, Aug 7: "How can my son be present at two places at the same time", said Mohammad Yasin Shah, father of a Kashmiri youth, being accused of a bomb blast at Govinpuri in Indian capital in October 2005 and presently undergoing detention in India's notorious prison, Tihar Jail.

"It is not possible for a human being to be present at two places at the same time", Shah said, adding, "My son, Mohammad Rafiq Shah is innocent and is being detained without any justification and logic".

Rafiq Shah was pursuing a course of MA Islamic Studies from the University of Kashmir and was regularly attending the varsity. Even the Vice Chancellor of the Kashmir University, Prof Abdul Wahid has stated that Rafiq was daily visiting Kashmir University campus and never missed the classes or the varsity. "Under such a circumstances how can my son, who had been attending varsity daily, be involved in the bomb blast at New Delhi", the elder Shah said. Rafiq Shah is his only son and he had attached all his future hopes with him.

Rafiq was arrested by Indian security personnel on the night of 21 November, 2005 from his Shuhama Alasteng residence in the outskirts of Srinagar. "We did not know what was happening. The men in uniform forced their entry into our house and arrested my son. Some of them were talking in Urdu and some others Kashmiri, but none of them gave a reason as to why they were arresting my son ", said his mother, Mehmooda, with tears rolling down her cheeks.

The family members could not trace out Rafiq's whereabouts for two months. "We visited the nearby police station to register a case, but police refused to register the First Information Report. After two months, we got a call from New Delhi and the caller told us that Rafiq has been detained in the Indian capital New Delhi by Delhi police", Rafiq's father, Mohammad Yasin said.

The Delhi police claimed that he was involved in the bomb blast at Govinpuri, New Delhi on 29 October 2005. "It is a white lie. He is totally innocent and has nothing to do with militants", Rafiq's father, Mohammad Yasin Shah said.

"He was the sole bread and butter earner of our family. Besides pursuing his Masters, he was teaching students and thus running the day to day affairs of family", Yasin, a retired government employee said.

Yasin had written letters to the Indian President, Indian Prime Minister, Indian Home Minister, Indian Defence Minister, Jammu and Kashir chief minister, Jammu and Kashir Governor and several leaders of pro-Indian groups. Of these he had received a reply from V K Gupta, Under Secretary Coordinator-II, Indian Home Ministry. In the letter written on June 2, 2007 has told the Ministry Kashmir Affairs that the case has been referred to the President.

Yasin claims that CBI, the premier investigative agency of India, while giving clean chit to his son, Rafiq Shah, has stated that the Delhi police men had arrested the youth on fake charges to earn promotions. "After CBI disclosures, there is no logic in continued detention of my son, Rafiq", he said. Rafiq is presently undergoing detention in the high risk Ward No 7, Jail No 2 of infamous Tihar Jail.

"My son is totally innocent and he should be released immediately", the mother, father and two younger sisters of Rafiq demanded.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.