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This family does not celebrate any festival
ALTHOUGH CRORES of Muslims are celebrating Id-ul-Fitr across the world, this Muslim family is not going to celebrate the festival this time, too.
ALTHOUGH CRORES of Muslims are celebrating Id-ul-Fitr across the world, this Muslim family is not going to celebrate the festival this time, too.
Ever since this family lost its son Sharfuddin Khan, a soldier in the Indian Air Force around 38 years ago, almost all the festivals have been a low-key affair for them. However, it was around three years ago that the body of Sharfuddin was found in Leh.
Sharfuddin, a resident of Golghar locality in Kachehari area, was reported ‘missing’ with 97 other soldiers on February 7, 1968 in Leh while they were on way from Chandigarh to Leh. All the soldiers boarding the unfortunate aircraft, 8207-AAA were declared missing.
But it was not the end of the story. On hearing the news, the father of Sharfuddin, Bahauddin Khan, who also served the armed forces, had gone mad. Bahauddin Khan died in 1968. Sharfuddin had fought the battle of 1965. He was going to Leh when the aircraft carrying him and other soldiers was reported missing, said the mother of Sharfuddin, Jaibunnisha Begum.
She added that on hearing the news, her husband had gone mad and died of shock.
“We ran from pillar to post for 35 years to get specific information about my missing son and made communication with the President of India, Prime Minister and the Defence Ministry but all in vain,”, she said.
She added: “It was around three years ago that we came to know about the recovery of the body of Sharfuddin.”
“Although we observe one-month Roja, we do not celebrate Id or any other festivals ever since my son was reported missing in 1968,” she said.
