But the prevailing political situation in Kashmir was not conducive for his return, so he took up a teaching post as a professor of Arabic at the University of Delhi. In the later part of the decade, the family joined him in the city. We were five and nine years old at the time, son and daughter respectively. Our life in Delhi was going fine until 14 December , when it was upended by a doomsday development.
Abbu was arrested by the dreaded special cell of the Delhi Police, falsely accused of involvement in the attack on the Indian parliament. Thus began the darkest period of our lives. But it also made us stronger than ever and taught us important political lessons at a very tender age.
While he was locked away, a spiteful media trial villainised him as a terrorist. It seemed that Indian democracy had pronounced its verdict even before the actual trial in its own court was over. Why else would our regular vegetable vendor suddenly refuse to sell to a seven-year-old boy, if not because he saw our father being labelled a terrorist in the news and believed it to be true?
In this session they started asking the names of who all died in the Parliament bombing. I said I did not know. They kept asking me that, abusing Muslims. The seniors were watching quietly, giving instructions occasionally. Then the next session started, I was tied up with a rope. And a heavy, very heavy, iron rod, was placed between my hands, and hands tied to the rod. The rod was put on a ledge in the wall, so I was suspended.
And then one man got on a tall stool and started on me. See, they had all the instruments, they were fully prepared. Started hitting the soles of my feet, I remember it was very, very cold. December, it was a very cold year. And they continued to hit me like that till I was barely conscious.
Then they dragged me down. They took a break, till I regained consciousness a little, then the second round started. My soles were in such pain I could hardly stand. Then there were other things, pulling out my genital hair with pliers. Confess you got it done. This went on till it was dark, it was night. So at that time, what kept you from agreeing to what they were saying? You see I had my politics from the start, and also I knew they can use this, whatever I say.
I kept trying to talk to them, of going through it, though it was no use. I kept talking, so I would say you are the police, you people are yourselves breaking the law. They ordered a cup of tea after the first round, on the phone; they were tired from the work [ laughs ]. They must have picked up Afshan [co-accused in the case] by that time. I overheard a phone conversation about picking her up. He stood on my feet, on my bleeding toes and ankle, with his boot; my wrists were bleeding also from being tied.
He kept questioning me for a long time, about Afshan. Jalandhar ki hai? Tumne iski shaadi Mussalman se kaise karvaya? They thought I may die. The news came that Afshan had been found and captured. They dumped me in another car. Then I was brought to the Lodhi Colony, they have these special cells, for interrogation. There is a police station, and then there is a set of cells, that is the usual place they bring people [suspected of terrorism-related offences].
It was the middle of the night by that time. I was in handcuffs and shackle; they kept me shacked always, throughout the time I was in custody. But they had given back my clothes. They had taken in Arifa [my wife] and children by that time; I knew they were there.
My son was very young, not even in school at the time, maybe three or four years old. My son will have a bad impression of you people, of this country. There was this chap Ashok [one of the guards], he was the most uncouth of the lot, very abusive.
Stop talking bakwas [rubbish]. You see, they are victims of their own stories, they believe that image which they create. They are very frightened of us, actually frightened [ laughs ]. I was taken to see Arifa; she had been told to tell me to confess. You better tell him to come clean. They just let me speak to her for a few minutes and then they took her away, to another cell.
They kept them in custody for two days and then released them. Arif, my son, he only was three-and-a-half years and they brought him to see me in that state, I was bleeding, I could hardly stand. He still remembers it. I know, because recently some relatives were discussing something about visiting someone in jail — what to take — just a casual conversation.
Early next morning at dawn, they let me have a bath. That was the first time, since the arrest, they let me use the toilet.
Even then there were a team of commandos with their rifles pointed at me; they wanted to come inside the bathroom. You see, they really believe their own image. They had shown me three sacks of books and papers they had seized from my house. September 11 had just happened; there was a Time magazine with the twin towers on the cover. They were pointing to that, being abusive.
He was the President then. They were furious; they started throwing some garbage at me, whatever they could find, lying on the ground. That was quite usual- the previous day one of them had thrown some tea at me, another time one of them threw dal at me while we were eating. That was the way of humiliating me. So, after my shower they took me to a waiting Gypsy.
I had known that Afzal and Shaukat were in custody, but this was the first time I saw them. I knew that they could use our [confessional] statements. Yes, the previous night. They were both together, and they had been tortured. But they could walk; at the time I still had to be supported by two policemen.
In the Gypsy there was a stink, like stale urine. The previous night, the police had urinated in their mouths, and they were still in the same clothes; the smell was coming from them. That was not done to me. Also read: After Postmortem, S.
Because there were two of them, there had been more humiliation. They had made them pose without their clothes, as if they were having anal sex.
They had been videographed also. Yes, but this must be common. We were taken to Safdarjung Hospital. It was early morning, so it was deserted, and they had evacuated the whole place. Commandos gheraoed the hospital the moment we reached, and we were taken inside. There was only one doctor. The policemen filled up my medical form, I protested to the doctor. That day [December 16] was a Sunday; we were taken to Mandir Marg, to a flat. ACP Rajbir went inside and spoke to her.
We were waiting outside. Then the magistrate came out. I told her that they have kidnapped my wife and children and that they are in the police station.
But her order does not record anything. Her house is in Mandir Marg? But the remand order said Gurgaon? I remember that this was used during the trial, the discrepancy in the time because it was not possible to go from Delhi to Gurgaon between the alleged time of arrest and the production. But why did they lie? It weakens their case.
They tell so many lies they get caught in their own web. Delhi news live: Delhi airport witnesses low visibility owing to smog; 40 fresh Covid cases 1 hour ago. Bengaluru news Live: Seven coaches of Kannur-Bengaluru Express derail, no casualties reported 2 hours ago.
Pune News Live: Pune records Covid infections, 4 deaths; Clear skies predicted today 3 hours ago. Mumbai News Live Updates: Fire breaks out at Mankhurd scrap market godown; city sees fresh infections 3 hours ago.
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