‘I miss Mamma, Will she ever return?'

On 1st death anniversary, hapless family remembers its beloved

 Srinagar, Jan 20: When eight-year-old Sammawoke up on the chilly morning
Thursday she was surprised to see herhouse at Kohnakhan Dalgate thronged
by nears and dears, mostly women. However when they started to weep and hug
her, it reminded her of the priceless and irreparable loss she had suffered last
year on the same day when her beloved mother Shaheena Wani, 45, was crushed
to death by a speeding vehicle driven by a drunk cop on the tourist
hub of the Boulevard. For some moments, Samma stood speechless and gazed continuously at
visiting women— as if waiting for her mother. “I miss Mamma. Will she
ever return?” she told her elder sister Sakiba whohad no answers.
But gradually the painful memories of her mother’s loss was palpable on
Samma’s innocent face. Tears welled into her eyes and hit the ground.
Those
who were watching her realized that she was not
crying silently to press for
purchase of any toys or
clothes, as a child of her
age usually does. But she
was weeping for her
mother—who left her and
the hapless family never
to return.
Sakiba, who was critically
wounded in the accident,
said despite passing of a
year, the family is yet to
come out of the shock.
“We have lived each
moment in mamm’s
memory. Her killing
snatched away our
happiness,” Sakiba said
while struggling to hide
her tears as her younger
sister Sadia consoled her.
Their father Ghulam Nabi
and aged grandmother
could only watch the trio
with moist eyes. “All that
happened to my family
should never happen to
anybody… the pain of
separation of a family
member is really
unbearable. My wife’s soul
must be restless due to
separation especially with
her daughters,” he said.
By the evening, as the
rush of visitors faded, the
Moulvis held Quran
Khawani praying for
courage to the bereaved
family to bear the loss and
peace to the departed
soul.
“Death is eternal but we
are pained as Shaheena
was killed by none other
than a police constable
who is entrusted to
protect life of citizens. The
police should have
ordered an in-house probe
to investigate that how
one of its cops on duty
consumed liquor and
drove a vehicle without a
license. Are laws only for
civilians? We hope that
the lawmakers and
enforcers will take
measures on priority to
prevent accidents on
road,” said one of the
locals.
Pertinently Shaheena a
teacher at Tyndale Biscoe
School, on the fateful day
was returning home with
her daughter Sakiba when
they were hit by the
speeding vehicle. While
Shaheena succumbed to
her injuries on way to
hospital, critically
wounded Sakiba
recovered after
undergoing surgery.
While rest of the family
members know the reality
of death, little Samma
hopes against the hope
that her mother will
return someday!