A mother’s plea begging for the life of her minor son held hostage by two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in J&K’s Hajin town went unheard on Friday. Twelve-year-old Atif Mir was allegedly killed by his captors even as his mother kept pleading with the two terrorists through handheld speakers to spare her son’s life and release him.
In a video, a breathless and sobbing Shareefa Banu can be seen trying to convince the terrorists through speakers while her son was held hostage for over nine hours.
‘Uncle Managed to Escape, Minor Boy Not So Lucky’
The horrific ordeal for Mohammad Shafi Mir’s family started on Thursday, 21 March, when two terrorists, who have been identified as Pakistani nationals Ali and Hubaib entered their three-storey house. While six family members rushed out of the house immediately, 12-year-old Atif and his uncle Abdul Hamid were held hostage by the terrorists.
“When the forces surrounded our house, the militants, Atif and his uncle were in the second storey. Before leaving I asked the militants to release them as forces were all around. But they asked me to leave. I thought they would release both of them after some time.”Atif’s mother Shareefa Banu to News18
While Atif’s uncle managed to escape, the minor wasn’t so lucky.
“I was at my shop when the search operation began in our locality. My minor son and my brother were inside the house and militants didn’t allow them to leave, while others family members managed to escape from the house. In the afternoon yesterday, my brother also managed to escape.”Atif’s father Mohammad Shafi Mir to Hindustan Times
Army and police officials present at the encounter site, too, appealed to the two terrorists in a bid to save the boy, but were unsuccessful. When the operation ended on Friday morning, Atif’s charred body, along with that of the two terrorists, was found under the rubble that was once his home.
“He (one of the terrorists) didn’t allow the boy to go out and he killed the boy before we stormed the building,” SSP Malik told Hindustan Times.
Atif was a class 6 student at Army Goodwill School, and he was buried about 500 metres away from his school, reported News18.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)