Bhatkal, July 18: Every time there is a blast somewhere, Shahida and Ismail are distraught. The parents of Indian Mujahideen (IM) founder Riyaz Bhatkal and his brother Iqbal Shahbandri, say that it is disconcerting when bomb blasts are linked to their sons.
"We are dying a slow death daily and have become living corpses," says Shahida, wiping the tears welling up in her eyes. "Would we have been in this state, if he was making money by making bombs," questions Shahida. "We don't want anybody's blood on our hands. I know my son. He is so compassionate and is incapable of taking lives," says Shahida.
Ismail, about 70, is, however, more composed than Shahida. "They said he was killed by Chhota Rajan in Karachi. Then how come he is behind the recent Mumbai blasts," questions Ismail. "Whenever a life is lost, we are in trouble," he says.
Shahida invited this correspondent inside her house to show how dilapidated the house is. "Our relatives are ready to give us money to repair the house. But we are afraid that police will target them and say Riyaz sent the money. Even masons don't come to repair our house fearing police," reveals Shahida. The landline has been dead since six months, Shahida claims saying that no amount of complaints have helped.
The couple came back to Bhatkal from Mumbai after Riyaz's disappearance in 2005. "We are planning to sell our rooms at Kurla (Mumbai) to repair the house," says Ismail.
Riyaz was a contractor in Mumbai. “He wanted to be independent and make it big. So he came back and started work in Ullal. That was the beginning of troubles for both my sons,” says Isamail.
As for the people in Bhatkal, they are fed up with the name of their town being sullied. “It's irritating and annoying. It has been peaceful since many years,” says Parvez Khasmji, whose brother Naushad Khasmiji was allegedly slain by the Ravi Poojary gang. Inayatullah Shahbandri, President, Bhatkal TMC, also adds that it is not fair to tarnish the name of the town.
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