Out to buy son’s birthday cake, Muzaffarnagar man shot dead, Allegedly by in-laws

Mangalore Today News Network

Muzaffarnagar, Jul 18, 2017 :  Back home in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar on his son’s first birthday, a Muslim man was shot dead, allegedly by his in-laws. Nazeem Ahmed, 23, was hit by three bullets from a point-blank range when he was out to buy a birthday cake for his son. His wife, 21-year-old Ayesha, now says she wants justice, even when the alleged killers are her father and brother.

 

Before her marriage last year, Ayesha was Pinki Kumar. Mr Ahmed was her childhood sweetheart, whom she met in school.

While there are only 3,000 Muslims among the 13,000 people in Bhokarhedi village and the area was largely peaceful during the riots of 2013, her parents had objected to the wedding.

"My family had beaten me up, and wanted me to get married to someone else. But I was adamant to marry her childhood sweetheart, whom I knew from school," Ms Ahmed said.

The young couple had eloped and got married in 2015. Later, they had gone off to settle in Vishakhapatnam.

Last month, they had come back to the village for the first time since their wedding to celebrate Eid. Mr Ahmed had delayed his trip back to Andhra and then the couple decided to celebrate their son’s birthday in the village as well on Monday. 

In the evening, Mr Ahmed had gone out with his uncle Nazr Mohammad. "We had gone to pick up money from ATM and then bought the cake. When we reached the main road, we were attacked by 4 men. They were his in-laws. While shooting, they said, ’We had been waiting to kill you’," Nazr Mohammad said.

"He had gone out during the day to get a cake for our son Abdul so we can celebrate it. It was the first time we returned to his home with our son. But now I just want justice," said Ms Ahmed. The police have registered a First Information Report against Rajesh and Pradeep, her father and brother, who are on the run.

The village authorities are now focusing on ensuring that the murder does not destabilize peace in the region. "There were some elements who had come from outside and had tried to escalate tension yesterday. But we are sure this is not a communal incident, more of a murder due to personal enmity," said Captain Gyanendra Kumar, the village head.


courtesy:NDTV