Three residents of Srinagar district from India administrated Jammu and Kashmir walked home after 24 long years of imprisonment on Wednesday (24 July, 2019), reports KNO.
They were acquitted by the Delhi and Rajasthan high courts respectively finding them innocent over the bomb blasting cases killing 13 civilians in 1996, on Tuesday (23 July, 2019).
The acquitted people are Lateef Ahmed, son of Ghulam Ahmed, a resident of Shamswari area, in Khankha-e-Moula, Mirza Nisar Hussain, son of Mirza Ali Muhammad, a resident of Namchabal area, in Fateh Kadal, Muhammad Ali Bhat, son of Sher Ali Bhat, a resident of Hassanabad area, in Rainawari of Srinagar district.
Eyes swelled with tears at their residences in Shamswari, Namchabal and Hassanabad areas with their relatives and family members making bee lines to hug their loved ones after almost-two-and a half-decades.
Lateef Ahmed said that he couldn’t believe that he was free. Lateef’s relatives flooded his house with garlands and bouquets to welcome him after such a long gap.
“I was picked up from Kathmandu and kept in Delhi police cell in connection with Lajpat Nagar bomb blast. After that, Jaipur police cell also sought our custody,” he said.
During the detention period, Lateef’s father went to meet him for the first and last time at Jaipur before a week his death in Srinagar. Asked how he feels returning home after 24 long-years, he said, “There were many innocent people especially Kashmiris languishing in Jaipur jail, who were being denied trial. Today, I feel like I was in a deep sleep and lost in dream of returning home.”
Lateef’s mother, who continues to fix her eyes on the face of her son, told that she didn’t believe her eyes. “We had lost all hopes. After every court hearing, we were being told that there was another hearing. Our only hope was Almighty Allah.”
At the residence of Mirza Nisar Hussain huge crowd of people was jostling to have a glimpse of Mirza. “I have served 24 years of detention. We were freed by Delhi high court first than by Rajasthan court. At the end, we were proved innocent”, he said.
Mirza said, “I was 17-year-old when I was arrested from Nepal. Today I am not able to recognize even my family members. Having lost all hopes, we had only one hope that Allah is always with us and helps us and today we are returned back homes because of Allah’s will.”
Similarly, Muhammad Ali Bhat, who lost both of his parents, mother and father.
“He was arrested in 1996 and was lodged in Tihar jail till 2014 and then shifted to Jaipur jail where they were lodged till July 24, 2019,” said a family member.
Ali who reaching Srinagar firstly visited Imam Bara Hassanbad to offer prayers, said that he had thought that he would meet his family after his death. “But Allah is great and I am returned back to my family after such a long time”, he said.
Ali was picked up from Nepal where he was selling carpets. The trio were accused allegedly being involved in dumping of arms and ammunition case in which Rajasthan High Court found them innocent and ordered their release.
To be noted, a bomb blast occurred in Lajpat Nagar market in Delhi on 21 May, 1996 killing 13 civilians and injuring 39 others. The blast was followed a day after the Dausa blast.