In Maharashtra, majoritarian Hindutva mobs are whipping up the communal cauldron. Photoshopped images, doctored videos and rumours are enough to set them off, resulting in the loss of Muslim lives and property
By Parth M.N.
He worshipped Virat Kohli. She adored Babar Azam. He would always point out when Kohli scored a century, and she would tease him when Babar performed well. Cricket banter was Ayesha and Nurul Hasan’s love language, to the extent that others around them were often surprised to learn they had an arranged marriage.
When the time table for the cricket World Cup came out in June 2023, Ayesha’s eyes lit up. The India versus Pakistan clash was scheduled on October 14 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. “I told Nurul we must watch it from the stadium,” Ayesha, 30, recalls, sitting in her maternal village of Rajache Kurle in western Maharashtra. “India and Pakistan hardly play bilateral matches. It was a rare opportunity to see both our favourite players together.”
Nurul, 30, a civil engineer, made some calls, and managed to get two tickets, much to the couple’s delight. Ayesha would have been in the sixth month of her pregnancy by then, so they meticulously planned the 750 kilometre journey from their village of Pusesavali in Satara district. The train tickets were booked and accommodation was arranged. The day finally arrived but the couple didn’t make it.
When the sun rose on October 14, 2023, Nurul had been dead for a month, and Ayesha was devastated.
This story was originally published in ruralindiaonline.org. Read the full story here.