Journalism of Courage
Bhartendu Sahni of Bahilwrara used to be closes friend with Sadat, or Vicky, of Azizpur. Their families too were close, as were their communities. It all ended when Bhartendu fell in love with Vicky’s sister.
Bhartendu’s father Kamal Sahni, a small farmer, was close to Vicky’s father Wasi Ahmed, an influential Muslim leader absconding since Bhartendu’s murder.
In both villages, people of either community lived side by side, attending each other’s festivals. Vicky’s grandfather Ibrahim Ahmed, retired from government service, had helped get Bhartendu a part-time job as an electrician while studying.
Bhartendu, Vicky and his sister were in the same school at Azizpur till Class X and regularly visited each other. Bhartendu scored a first division but Vicky and his sister failed. This, coming on top of the romance, upset Vicky, Bhartendu’s family says. “My brother got admission to a college in Muzaffarpur while Vicky fell a class behind and sulked,” says Nilam Sahni, Bhartendu’s sister.
Bhartendu’s mother Manju Devi says: “My son had returned from Muzaffarpur on January 8. On January 9, he got a call and said he had to meet someone.” Bhartendu went missing; police suspect the call was from Wasi Ahmed, who would by then have learnt about his daughter’s relationship with Bhartendu.
Manju Sahni says nothing of her murdered son’s love affair. She alleges Wasi Ahmed had used his police influence to protect his son after he had been named an accused in the kidnapping of Bhartendu.
Azizpur villagers say the love affair had taken a toll on their lives. Mohammed Alauddin, wiping his tears at his ravaged house, says: “What love? It has created distrust for ever now.”
