Video Editor: Varun Sharma
It was a usual Friday, on 20 December, for 10-year-old Sageer in Varanasi’s Bajardiha locality, who had stepped out to watch the huge gathering in his neighbourhood.
Thousands of protesters had gathered in Bajardiha that day to raise their voice against the recently passed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
A sudden lathi-charge by the police resulted in a commotion which soon turned into a deadly stampede. Sageer’s father, Wakil Ahmed, who works as a waiter at weddings and functions, started getting frantic calls from his youngest son Zaheer around 8 pm that evening. As soon as he reached his house, Wakil was confronted with the tragic news that awaited the family. A neighbour informed Wakil that his son was in a serious condition and had been admitted to the nearest government hospital.
Sageer’s 70-year-old grandmother, Shehnaz Akhtar, recalls how she had gone looking for other kids, rest assured that Sageer is safely standing on a platform near the protest site.
“He didn’t say anything that day before leaving. He had taken a bath, it was the day for Friday prayers. He went outside and I saw him with my own eyes standing on a platform nearby. I went searching for other kids who are younger than him as I was assured he was standing on the platform.”Shehnaz Akhtar, Sageer’s grandmother
Sageer could not survive the injuries sustained in the stampede that day. As tension prevailed, his family claims there was pressure from the district administration to perform burial rites immediately.
“The administration was [with the police]. They first gave us time till 6 am for the burial. After the body arrived, they said burial should be done before the Azaan.”Wakil Ahmed, Sageer’s father
As Varanasi’s Bajardiha, a locality dominated by the weaver community, turned into a fortress with police personnel manning every intersection of the byzantine lanes in the area, locals recalled how the police ‘misjudged’ the situation by resorting to lathi-charge.
A lane away from Sageer’s house, 16-year-old Tanweer Alam had also stepped out owing to curiosity even as his uncle had warned all the kids.
As soon as the gathering turned into an unruly crowd with people trying to run helter-skelter, Tanweer’s father rushed towards the open area in front of his house. As soon as he spotted Tanweer lying unconscious on the ground, he bent down to lift his son, only to be beaten by police personnel.
“His condition was really bad. His entire frontal portion had been damaged. Whether it happened due to stampede or beating, we don’t know yet. When he regains consciousness, we will know how he got these injuries.”Mohamed Amin, Tanweer Alam’s uncle
Tanweer continues to be unconscious since 20 December with his family members hoping for immediate recovery. The Bajardiha police station has in the meantime put out a poster, asking people to identify those involved in violence during protests. Those who have lived in Bajardiha for long claim that many of those displayed in the police poster happen to be local men.
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