Muslim India

A convert Muslim recalls 72 hours of khaki terror

 

Submitted by Mudassir Rizwan on 27 September 2008 - 5:07am.  Indian Muslim

 

 

By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,

 

New Delhi: It is around 3:30 pm, September 18, the day before the Jamia Nagar encounter. Six people enter the House No. C-81 in Abul Fazal Enclave in Jamia Nagar area and ask three persons in the room their name.

 

All the three were reading books. Among them one is class X student and another class XII student. The third one is a research scholar of Jamia Millia Islamia. The three are flat partners.

 

As soon as the six strangers in civil dress (sleuths of Special Cell of Delhi Police) get confirmed that it is C-81 and among three one is Md. Rashid, they begin flipping books on the shelf.

 

Do you know Abul Bashar, they asked? "I said I don't know anyone with this name," recalls the slim man in early 30s.

 

Do you know Abu Bashir? "I don't know anyone with this name either. Then they said you will know everything soon.

 

They asked his friends about the mobile he uses. His friends said he does not use any mobile.

 

Then they took out his purse from his pocket. There was Jamia Millia Islamia I Card, DTC bus pass, 500 rupees and a phone diary.

 

Then they asked him to come with them. He asked "Where do you want to take me and first tell me who are you? "They were in civil dress so I could not identify whether they were policemen," recounts Rashid who became Muslim when he was a teenager.

 

Then they brought Abul Bashar to his room. They asked Rashid "Do you know him?" he said no.

 

"Uncle ji, what is the matter? Come with us, you will know soon, they said.

 

"I am not a thief; I have been living here for eight years. I am Jamia student. Ask me whatever you want to know" he told them clearly.

 

Yet, they caught hold of his shoulder and took him down. He said "Uncle ji I am not thief, I am Jamia student. I have no intention to flee. I have not done any crime. You can take me as a normal person, not as a thief."

 

All the way they continued asking him about Abul Bashar. They said they were taking him for questioning as Abul Bashar has given his name.

 

They took him to a Delhi Police Special Cell office. He was presented before an officer. There were 10-12 persons there. They repeated the last question. And he repeated the answer. Then they said he will not speak by this way. "We are respecting you as you are research scholar and not using other methods. If you do not tell the truth then we will make you tell," they said.

 

Then began the real drama.

 

They pounced on him. They were 5-6. They were not beating, in fact fists and kicks were raining on him. They beat him to their full satisfaction. Then they asked the same question.

 

"If you are going to continue beating me then I am ready to confess whatever you want. Yes I know Abul Bashar. And tell me where to sign papers. I am ready to sign" Rashid told them.

 

They said he will not budge so easily.

 

Then they took him to another room. There they took off all his clothes. He was standing with no thread on him. And again they started beating brutally.

 

He said "If you want me to make mastermind, then I am ready. But I don't want to be beaten like this."

 

The whole drama continued for 2 hours. Then they presented him before an officer. Now they repeated the same question and added one more name. They asked "Do you know Yasin Patel?" "I don't know him personally," he said.

 

Patel's name was on a chit in his phone book. Rashid told them he makes his two ends by doing tuition and coaching. Many people come in his contact. Some parents give him their phone number and ask him to spare time for their children.

 

They also asked him about conversion. He said he converted on December 9, 1995, almost three years after the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya. He is from Allahabad.

 

They asked who made him recite the kalimah. He told them how he came across a book on Hindu society and then developed curiosity to learn about Islam.

 

Then he read a Hindi translation of "Towards Understanding Islam" of Maulana Abul Ala Maudoodi. They asked who gave him this book. He said he bought it from a shop.

 

They hurled abuses on his conversion. They kept him in the custody for full 72 hours. Gradually their hard tone and attitude got softer and on September 22 he was released.

 

Even today he is shocked and terrified thanks to our people in khaki dress.