They hope Mehbooba will bring them justice

Some 20 km from Dalal’s house lies Brariangan village where families of Juma Khan and his namesake are still mourning their deaths. Mehri was left to raise a mentally-ill son plus six daughters on her own when her husband was killed. She was yet to recover from that blow when a week later, her son-in-law and another relative were shot dead in neighbouring Brakpora village. The two were participating in a protest march against the Panchalthan encounter and fell to police bullets.

Mehri and her children survive on the maize they grow on their few kanals of land. ‘‘More than the father (Mufti), I believe the daughter will come to our aid,’’ says Mehri. Adds Mohammad Yousuf, Juma’s nephew: ‘‘We did not vote for Md Hussain (the PDP candidate from Shangus) but for Mehbooba this time. She feels our plight.’’