‘He didn’t deserve to die like that’: 3 years since Delhi riots, mother of man seen in viral video seeks answers

A video that went viral a day before his death showed five men, including Faizan, writhing in pain on the ground as police personnel stood by, purportedly telling them to sing the national anthem, and hitting them with their lathis.

Since then, as she fought the case, other tragedies have struck Kismatun’s family — the untimely death of her daughter and son-in-law, and suicide of her newlywed daughter-in-law that led to a dowry case being slapped on Kismatun and her sons.

“I have lost too much since Faizan. While my daughter and son-in-law died of natural causes, my daughter-in-law Roshni died by suicide on August 12 last year. Since her family lodged a case of dowry death and cruelty, my sons (Roshni’s husband) Salman and Nadeem (30), and I were arrested. I was in jail for six-seven months and Nadeem for 11 months. Salman is still in custody,” Kismatun said.

Out on bail since April, Kismatun said the months she spent in jail resulted in her losing track of Faizan’s case. “I knew everything about his case. I was even in touch with all the men who were beaten up along with Faizan. Nobody is willing to talk to me now…I am clueless but I still want answers,” she said.

Recalling the last time he saw his brother alive, Nadeem said, “Faizan left home in the afternoon (on February 24) to look for Ammi. She was at the anti-CAA-NRC protest site (about 2 km away).”

Kismatun said, “When I got home, Faizan was missing. Later, a neighbour informed us that Faizan had been beaten up and was in jail. We went to the police station, where one officer told me, ‘Your son is a rioter…Why should he be released? He will rot in jail’.”

She further said, “I just hope those who killed him are arrested before I die.”

Three years on, the Delhi Police are yet to identify or name anyone in connection with Faizan’s death. The police told the court they couldn’t access the CCTV footage from police station due to technical glitches. They further said they had conducted voice sample analysis and were “close to identifying one police personnel” but the samples didn’t match. In her petition filed in September seeking a court-monitored SIT probe in the case, Kismatun said she found the police investigation “lackadaisical, unprofessional, compromised, partisan and designed to shield the perpetrators of the crime”.

The family received a compensation of Rs 10 lakh under the Delhi government’s scheme for those hit by the riots. Nadeem said they used most of it to add another floor to their one-room house. Kismatun, her nine grandchildren, four sons and their families live in the two-storey house. Her husband died long ago.

Kismatun’s counsel said the case has been adjourned to November 8, but refused to comment further.

Faizan was one of the 53 people killed in the 2020 riots. Of 757 cases registered by the Delhi Police, over 60 cases were transferred to the Crime Branch. Police said 57 acquittals and 16 convictions have been given by different courts in connection with the cases.

A police officer said, “An SIT is investigating the matter. It has analysed CCTV footage, videos and voice samples from the spot, and tried to match them with a few suspects.”

Said Kismatun, “My biggest challenge is that my case is against the police. My son was not a rioter. He didn’t deserve to die like that.”