Bandipora, Nov 12: A dingy lane leads to the humble abode of Abida, lovingly called Sumaiya at home, painting a grim picture of the tragedy that has befallen this family. Every eye is moist, and every soul is in deep shock as the people gather around this single-story house.
What brings tears to the eyes of everyone here are the three young, innocent children left behind – a 6-year-old daughter, a 7-year-old son, and a 5-year-old boy. On November 3rd, their mother Abida visited the weekly Sunday market in Srinagar to buy warm winter clothes for them. Little did she know that this trip would be her last.
These siblings remain unaware of their mother’s tragic demise. “Why are so many people coming to our house?” the eldest child innocently asks his uncle, who tries to console the grieving siblings. “My mummy has gone to the Sunday market to buy clothes for me and my younger brother and sister. She promised me a blue jacket and long boots for winter,” the child says, his eyes filled with hope.
As the villagers flood the house of the slain Abida, the relatives of these ill-fated children have been kept away, shielding them from the heart-wrenching sight of their mother’s lifeless body. Three Lashkar-e-Toiba associates have already been arrested for their involvement in the attack.
The community mourns the loss of a beloved mother, but the three siblings are left to navigate the unimaginable pain of growing up without the warmth and guidance of Abida. Their futures, once filled with the promise of a mother’s love, now clouded by the dark shadows of an unspeakable tragedy.
