2008 Malegaon blasts: ‘Son died in my arms, court has restored my faith he’ll get justice’

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Read | 2008 Malegaon blasts: How NIA concluded ‘ATS planted evidence’

“This government, however, conspired to protect the guilty,” he said. “I had put my faith in the judiciary and the Almighty. The court today has restored my faith that my son will get justice.”

A casual labourer who also collected scrap for a living, Nisar said his son Azhar was 19 when he was killed.

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Azhar, who was memorising the Quran to become a hafiz, had decided to take a detour from the local mosque to his home. As a result he fell victim to the blast. Flying shrapnel from the bomb impaled his body, killing him on the spot.

“They took him to Wadia Hospital and he died in front of my eyes. He was a simple boy who could have changed the fortunes of my family. They took him away from us and now we are left to fend for ourselves,” said Nasir, who stays in the congested Islampura locality of Malegaon.

On September 29, 2008, a bomb placed inside a motorcycle exploded in the bustling Bhikhu Chowk, killing four and injuring over 70 more. Pragya and others were chargesheeted in 2009 by the Maharashtra ATS , who said it was her motorcycle that was used to plant the bomb.

The National Investigation Agency, in its chargesheet filed on May 13, dropped all the charges against Pragya and five others, citing lack of evidence. While the families of many of the victims had lost interest in the case over the years, Nasir continued to follow nits progress. Last year, he had filed an application in court at the behest of the Jamiat-e-Ulema to look into the progress of the case.

When the NIA decidex it would get Pragya discharged, a shocked Nasir decided he would intervene in the case to oppose her bail. Nasir’s intervention application, filed through Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind in June, urged the special court either to discard the NIA chargesheet or to consider taking the view of the ATS before deciding on the bail plea.

“I may not have the financial means or legal understanding to fight this case but as long as I have strength in my bones, I will pursue this case to ensure the killers of my son are punished,” Nisar said.