The two Muslims killed in police firing towards the demonstration against the forced eviction drive in Sipajhar in Assam’s Darrang district, included 32-year-old Moinul Hoque, the video of whose shooting went viral on Thursday, and Sheikh Farid, 12-year-old and a Class 7 student.
The family members of Farid said to local journalists that he left home on Thursday afternoon for the post office to get his Aadhaar card. They said Farid had fetched his Aadhaar card, meant to serve as proof of identity and address.
Amir Hussain, elder brother of the deceased told The Telegraph that Farid collected the card from the local post office on Thursday so he could avail himself of a scholarship from the minority department.
“What is the use of this card now? The card has lost its relevance, and Farid his life. We were hoping he would one day get a government job,” says Amir.
According to Sofikul Islam who lives nearby, Farid was informed about the card on Wednesday and he had to submit the card to his school for a scholarship.
The newspaper reported that Farid’s mother Golabhanu has been inconsolable since the news of the death arrived around 2pm on Thursday.
“I don’t know what happened… We are at a loss for words,” Khaleque Ali, Farid’s father told Indian Express. Ali says he did not believe it at first until someone showed him a photo of his son, bleeding.
“My son was excited about getting his Aadhaar card,” says Ali.
“When his body was brought home, there was a bullet injury on his right chest,” father told Hindustan Times.
Farid’s family hails from Kirakara village, which adjoins Dhalpur where the demonstration against the forced eviction and police brutality had erupted. The family hadn’t been served any eviction notice.
“The government must give us justice so that other fathers do not lose their sons for their right to have a roof over their heads,” while grieving the death of the youngest of his four sons, Ali told The Hindu.
This story first appeared on maktoobmedia.com