“I never knew what he was up to”

Abdul Malik, brother of Abdul Karim Tunda at his house in Hapur on Saturday. Photo: Meeta Ahlawat

While “most wanted terrorist” is a popular way to describe the alleged Lashkar operative Abdul Karim alias Tunda, for his family members and relatives living here his name is one they associate with years of embarrassment, pain and anguish.

Abdul Malik, the 67-year-old younger brother of Tunda, vaguely recalls how his elder brother went on to become a terrorist from a skilful carpenter without he having any clue whatsoever about Tunda’s indulgence in activities such as bomb-making and indoctrinating youth.

“Our father died when Karim was around eight years old. With his death we lost someone who could guide us in life and were left to fend for ourselves. All our siblings chose the path which involved honesty and hard work. I never knew what he (Tunda) was up to till the time he went missing. But yes, with time I saw a change in his attitude towards his family members. That led to differences between us despite the fact that our houses were in the same area,” said Mr. Malik.

Asked whether he suspected something amiss when his elder brother lost his left arm earning him the name “Tunda”, Mr. Malik said the explanation given to them by Tunda was that his hand came under a thresher while repairing it.

Asked whether the police ever came to question him seeking details about the absconding Tunda, who is accused of several bomb blasts in Delhi and other parts of the country, Mr. Malik recounted that every time a blast took place, the police visited their house to enquire about Tunda.

On the possibility of him now meeting Tunda after his arrest, Mr. Malik said: “The fact that he is in police custody rules out a meeting anytime soon and I myself am not very keen on meeting him. But if we ever meet, I will ask him what he achieved by doing all this. His family is not with him and we don’t want to have any relations with him.”