“My son’s death was not an accidental one, it was a hate murder”. These were the words of Khaleel Ahmed, father of eight year old Azeem, who was killed while playing at the madrasa yard in Delhi.
“(Most of)The media say that there is a problem in the evidence of this case. The neighbors and the police knew that they were teasing the children of the madrasa. They used to throw liquor bottles and used to burn crackers and throw into the madrasa. Hate towards the madrasa was the reason for them to kill my child. If those who killed were children, (but)the hands that worked behind it were of the adults. They should be legally charged. The media say that there isn’t any evidence. But neither of the reporters have spoken to me till now. (And)That’s (a)wrong (way indeed).”
Khalil Ahmad continued. He also said that he is worried about the studies of the other two brothers of Azeem after he has been killed.
The witnesses of Azeem’s death say that those who attacked Azeem used to break into the madrasa and constantly use liquor and drugs from there. The witnesses say that these people even used to throw liquor bottles at the madrasa yard most often.’ Yet, the police have not yet taken any action in the case but has only ignored it till the murder took place’.one of the persons of the madrasa said.
‘About seven people had beaten my brother till death, they were angry at our outfits, most often they mocked at our wearing of caps. They misbehaved towards our offering of salat(prayer)’
Mustafa who is Azeem’s eldest brother as well as the former student of the madrasa busted out in his emotions to the reporters.
‘(Since long before) They had often threatened that they will kill Azeem once, and the whole problem broke out when an attempt to stop drinking alcohol and playing the cards at the premises of the madrasa was made. They responded rudely by saying that we will do whatever we wish to, and you can do what you can. The neighbors had often warned them against doing so, but they would never listen us and would mentally torture us’; Mustafa fearfully recalled the events of Thursday.
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‘Whenever we went to the Balmiki camp, they mocked us, mocked our religion, and threatened us to death and very often they threw the liquor bottles in to our hostel rooms. Our campus doesn’t have walls, so it is difficult to stay there at night. Even our principal had at once complained to the Delhi police against them, but the police didn’t do anything. I don’t know why they don’t like us. Do you feel that we are different’; Azeem’s close friend as well as senior student of the madrasa Muhammad Anas asks sadly.
‘It has been a long time since they started target our madrasa and when they were beating Azeem those who circled around him were inspiring them to kill him. A woman named saroj was shouting out that, again the complaints are going to be filed. This is indeed a fear-invoking experience, we are anxious of the security of our students, this incident has invoked much fear among all the students’
Muhammad Aisaj, the headmaster of the madrasa says.
The madrasa teachers as well as the students say that the torture by the youth of the Balmiki camp had been reported much earlier (or without any delay) to the police.
Students Islamic Organization of India national president Nahas Mala, who visited Azeem’s family declared that SIO will bear the educational expenses of the brothers of Azeem till their post-graduation.
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Photo – Mediaone
Compiled by Saaliha.P.P , post graduate student in Jamia Millia Islamia , New Delhi
