Heads covered with scarves, around a dozen girls comfort Uzma Jan, a Class 12 student, on the veranda of a three-storey house at Sursoan village in Kulgam, with silence looming large after the murder of Lt. Ummer Fayaz.
At the village, over 70 km south of Srinagar, mourning entered the fifth day on Sunday. The sisters and friends of 22-year-old Lt. Fayaz, abducted and killed by militants on Wednesday in adjoining Shopian district, are still to come to terms with the fact that their inspirational figure is no more.
Elder to the siblings, Asmat Jan, 19, and Uzma Jan, 16, the Army officer, who belonged to 2 Rajputana Rifles, was more than an elder brother.
“He [Lt. Fayaz] was our motivation and hope. When he came home this time, he gifted me a pen with the advice: ‘Work hard. I will help you realise your dreams now. I have started earning and you need not worry. You will scale heights’,” recalled Uzma, who wished to become a doctor. “My hope has been dashed now,” she added.
Full of confidence that Kashmir was safe for him, Lt. Fayaz, who arrived on April 30 from Nagrota in Jammu and was kidnapped on May 9, brought famous sweets from Kud, a major stopover on the Srinagar-Jammu highway for the family. It was his first visit after his formal induction into the Army six months ago.
‘Self-made man’
Family members of the slain Army officer Lt. Ummer Fayyaz mourn during his funeral in Kulgam district.
“My son accompanied me to my orchards and sprinkled pesticides on apple trees. He was humble and self-made. He always made me proud,” said father Fayaz Ahmad, a farmer.
During his short stay, neighbours said, Lt. Fayaz played cricket with local children and caught up with old friends. Lt. Fayaz stayed for three nights at his maternal cousin’s place to attend her wedding. “His cousins had no brother. My son was their elder brother too,” said Mr. Ahmad, getting emotional as he recalled the tragedy. He was home when the sad news was broken to him on Wednesday.
‘Dutiful Army officer’
“Fayaz sahib never had an iota of apprehension. He always felt free here being an Army officer. When he was asked to accompany the armed men on the fateful day, he did not resist. He would often say I have done no harm to anyone. Why would anyone harm him?” recalled Lt. Fayaz’s aunt.
Residents continued to trickle in at the victim’s house. Flanking Mr. Ahmad, Lt. Fayaz’s school friends Rahil and Adil said he was their inspiration.
“Fayaz was a computer wizard and Hollywood action-movie buff. We watched Martian movie together recently. We were together till Class 12. Many students from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya sat for the National Defence Academy examination in 2012. However, he was the only one to pass from the Kashmir division. He was our inspiration and role model,” said Rahil, who is pursuing honours degree in physics from Kashmir University. Rahil said the Army’s disciplined life motivated him to join it.
Adil said his friend was “apolitical”. “We would stay in touch on WhatsAap all the time when he was undergoing training. He would never discuss politics. He would joyfully wrap his arms over our shoulders with no airs of being an officer,” said Adil, an employee with the Animal Husbandry department.
As the shocked mother refused to talk, the father insisted that no politics should be allowed over his death. “It was destiny and had Allah’s nod. We could not have avoided it. It’s painful to keep raking it up. I want closure,” said Mr. Ahmad, while welcoming the Army move to name a local goodwill school after him.
