A sought-after dentist who fell on hard times: Kin remember GTB Hospital shooting victim

His brother Raisuddin said, “We had Khajuri Khas’s oldest dental clinic and my brother used to get 25 to 30 patients every day…everyone knew him as ‘doctor sahab’ and trusted his skills.”

Riyazuddin continued working at the clinic for 10 years but shut it down three years ago due to his battles with substance abuse, said his kin.

Raisuddin told The Indian Express, “He always wanted to get into dentistry…however, he got into alcoholism and substance abuse, and developed an infection in the abdomen. Due to this he had to be taken to a de-addiction centre and subsequently, to several hospitals for his treatment.”

The deceased had a stomach operation 15 days ago at GTB Hospital and was recovering in the surgery ward number 24 when the incident took place. Said Fahim, another brother: “Our sister somehow escaped the firing or else she would have been shot too…” He further said, “Riyazuddin was on the hospital bed while he was being dressed by the duty doctor at the time…he received three bullet injuries on the side of his abdomen.”

Raisuddin said he had last seen his brother only 15 minutes before the incident took place. He said he had stayed by Riyazuddin’s side the entire night before handing the duties over to his mother and sister the next evening.

“I had only crossed a few kilometres when I received a call from my mother that our brother had been shot after which I rushed back,” he said.

Riyazuddin is survived by two brothers and three sisters along with his wife and two children.

Said Raisuddin, “There was a very little chance of my brother surviving after the infection…we spent a lot on his treatment and he was recovering well…he had never been involved in any criminal activity…we just got to know that the person who shot him wanted to kill another person.”