‘My son was an anti-national, he deserved to die’

“If my son was involved in anti-national activities, he deserved the fate he met with…My prayers are that no woman should face the fate of being called the mother of an extremist,” said Safia, the mother of Mohammad Fayas from Kannur, who was killed in the encounter.

Voicing similar sentiments, Syed, whose son Abdul Raheem was also killed in the Kupwara encounter, did not want the body of his son to be brought home for last rites and burial.

In a written request to police in Malappuram, Syed wanted his son’s body to be buried in a graveyard attached to a mosque in Kashmir. Police said it would be faxed to authorities in J-K.

According to Safia, her son was lured to the extremist cause by a friend of him called Faisal, who was arrested on Sunday. He had told Safia that her son was being sent to Bangalore where arrangements would be made for his religious studies. Later on, Faisal told her that Fayas was in Ahmedabad and his studies were progressing.