Budgam village loses the healer in terror attack

The company is constructing a strategic 6.5 km Z-Morh tunnel, which will provide all-weather connectivity between J&K and Ladakh.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visits family members of Dr Shahnawaz.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visits family members of Dr Shahnawaz.Photo | PTI
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SRINAGAR: We have lost the healer and an honest man,” said Abdul Gaffar, an elderly resident of Nadigam village of central Kashmir’s Budgam district. Dr Shahnawaz was among seven persons killed on Sunday in the terror attack on a workers’ camp at an under-construction site belonging to APCO Infratech company at Gagangir in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal.

The company is constructing a strategic 6.5 km Z-Morh tunnel, which will provide all-weather connectivity between J&K and Ladakh.

Dr Shahnawaz was known not just for his medical skills but also for his kindness and compassion in his village, which is mourning his loss.

“Whenever someone needed medical help, even in the middle of the night, Dr Shahnawaz would attend to him without any hesitation. He would also provide medicines to the patient,” said Abdul Jabbar. “Not only his children but the entire village is orphaned,” Jabbar said.

Dr Shahnawaz was posted at a tunnel construction site by APCO Infratech, an infrastructure company he was working for. Villagers describe him as a man of unwavering honesty and kindness.

One of his relatives said when he joined the duty as a doctor, his father had told him to work for people. “He continued to follow it till the end of his life,” said another villager. His daughter got married only three days before his killing. “I told him not to go as it was only the 4th day of our daughter’s marriage. He said he wanted to earn halal (pure) livelihood,” said Shahnawaz’s wife Nafeesa.

“Around 1 pm, he called up home and talked to his family members. I was outside home and could not talk to him. He also called his daughter and talked to her as well,” she said. Around 7.30 pm, the family received a call that Dr Shahnawaz was critically injured in the terror attack on workers in Gagangir. By the time the family members and relatives could reach the hospital, he had succumbed to his injuries.

The doctor is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

“The killings must stop. Today it happened with us and tomorrow it could happen with anyone else. We want justice and we want these killings to stop,” said Nafisa.

About 300 km from Budgam, the Abrol family in Talab Tillo area of Jammu was mourning the loss of Shashi Abrol, a design engineer, who was among the seven persons killed by terrorists.

Shashi’s wife Ruchi was performing Karwa Chauth Puja and spoke to her husband hardly an hour ago on Sunday. “He said he would make a video call around 8 pm (at the time of moon-sighting) so that I could break my fast. His call did not come. We received the news that there was an attack on the construction site and he was among the victims,” Ruchi said.

Committed to ensure safety of migrant workers: Admin

An official spokesman said the J&K administration has taken all the required measures to ensure safety and security of migrant workers in the Valley. “The rumors spread on social media platforms regarding the administration pressurising migrant workers to leave the Valley are false,” he said, adding that the administration reiterated its commitment to ensure the safety of migrant workers.

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