Mark of protest Muslims wear black bands in protest against the Ballabgarh murder, in Khandawali on Monday. PTI, Ashok Kumar | Photo Credit: PTI more-in With all four sons studying in separate madrasas in Gujarat and Mewat, Id each year was a time for reunion for Jalauddin’s family. With his teenage son Junaid having been murdered a few days before the festival this year, Id will never be the same for the family. Recalling the good old days, Hasib, who was in the train at the time of incident on June 22, said Junaid studied at a madrasa in Nuh. He added that the rest of the brothers had been studying at separate madrasas in Gujarat for the past several years and Id was the only time of the year when all the brothers met. ‘Painful memories’ “Now with Junaid gone, it does not feel like Id today [on Monday]. Id now will be marked by his memories and pain every year,” said Hasib, his voice choked with emotions, adding that the brothers always looked forward to spending time together on Id. The pain and mourning are, however, not confined to this one family in Khandawali village. It seems like the entire village has lost a loved one. “The usual hustle and bustle on the eve of Id was missing at the Ballabgarh market on Sunday night after the moon was sighted,” said Saddam Hussain, one of the villagers. Nassir Khan, another villager, added: “Even children did not burst crackers and no one in the village bought new clothes this time around. The traditional fervour associated with Id was missing.” Wearing a black band around his arm, Ushman Khan, a customer executive with a private company in Faridabad, said there was a sense of fear and many of his Hindu friends who usually visited him on the occasion of Id had preferred not to come to the village. Mr. Khan said the village youth had in a meeting on Sunday decided to wear black bands in a silent protest against the incident. ‘Unhappy with probe’ “The elders did not want us to do so, but the youth decided to wear black bands as a mark of protest against the brutal murder. We are not happy with the government’s response to the incident and the investigation in the case.,” said Mr. Khan. He further said that Muslims were too scared to proudly proclaim their identity. Around 300 young Muslim men from several villages in the region, under the aegis of the Mewat Yuva Sangathan, also visited Junaid’s family on Monday to offer condolences. “It’s not an isolated case. Be it Akhlaq, Pehlu Khan, DSP Mohammad Ayub, Dingerheri gang-rape or Junaid’s murder, Muslims are being targeted across the country. We plan to hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar later this week and devise a strategy for the next course of action,” said Javed Khan of the Sangathan.

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