Outside, pro-freedom slogans are filling the air in Kulgam’s Koimoh hamlet as youth on their shoulders carry Dawood Sheikh’s body- a 22-year-year old hizb militant who was killed in a brief battle with forces in area .His mother, Parveena sat huddled in the dark on the floor of a large room Monday morning, closely surrounded by grieving female relatives but shedding not even a single tear.
“Today he has attained the purpose of his life. He always wanted to die as a martyr. He left home to obey Allah’s command. I have no regret at all that he is not with me now,” says Parveena, a widow, who says Dawood was her only purpose of life.
“Just two days back he came home and met me. He told me that he regrets that he didn’t serve me in this life but promised that he would accompany me in paradise,” Parveena without even shedding a single tear said.
She said that Islam was Dawood’s only motivation to tread the militant path and that he would wake up in the midst of night and used to cry during prayers. “Before joining militancy, Dawood was good at studies. He liked the science subject the most but upholding the Islamic values was always his priority,” recalled Parveena.(Agencies)