Bhatkal arrest: A wife who keeps to herself,a factory no one approaches

Fifty-three-year-old Mehajani Khanum was in the middle of her prayers when this reporter showed up at the doors of D5/1 in Thoker No 8. Mehajani looked up,wondering what had brought a visitor so early in the morning. It was clear she had no idea that her son-in-law had been arrested.

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When she was told that he had been picked up,Mehajani rose,letting out a loud cry: “Shahrukh pakda gaya? Allah ka lakh lakh shukr hai humara dushman pakda gaya. Meri beti Zahida ki zindagi tabah kar di thi usne. Ab saara sach saamne ayega (Has Shahrukh been arrested? Thank God,our enemy has been arrested. He ruined my daughter Zahida’s life. Now the truth will emerge).”

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Two years ago,men of the Special Cell had come to the house with her husband Mohammed Irshad Khan who had been arrested for his alleged role in terror attacks across the country. The police left with a pressure cooker,Rs 30,000 cash and an M16A1 assault rifle box from Yasin’s room — the family knew him as Shahrukh,only to be told that his name was Yasin.

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The house remains the same but a room on the ground floor,where Zahida,now 23,lived with Yasin,has remained locked. No one goes in.

Mehajani maintains her husband is innocent. “My husband was never involved. It was all Shahrukh’s doing.”

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There is no television in the house. “We sold it after the arrest of my husband. We were tired of police visits. Every time they turned up,they would say my husband was involved. The TV always had news on the arrest of my husband. He is innocent. Two years ago when the police came here,I asked them if I could meet him. But they refused.”

There is no sign of Zahida. She doesn’t emerge from her room. “Look at what he has done to my daughter. She was a cheerful girl. We got her married but he turned out to be a terrorist. He never paid her any attention,never told her where he was going. After the arrest of my husband,there has been no mention of Shahrukh in the house. Why now? And that too two years later? I don’t care if he is dead or alive. My daughter is no longer the person she was.”

A board outside the house announces free Quran lessons — “Muft mein Quran padhna seekhein”. Two years ago,that board had the name of the head of the house,Mohammed Irshad Khan.

Mehajani says Zahida teaches the neighbourhood children. A neighbour vouches for this: “She is a very religious girl and teaches part-time at a local school. She takes classes at home as well. Because she is doing such great social service,we pay her cash at times.”

Far from Abul Fazal Enclave is Meer Vihar in west Delhi. There is an ordnance factory there. Two years ago,police claimed they recovered ammunition,ammonium nitrate and chemicals from the factory. It was here that Yasin and Irshad manufactured weapons for the terror attacks,police alleged.

When the factory was raided,area residents recalled seeing a young man in kurta pyjama. He was often spotted drawing water from a handpump behind the factory.

The factory remains sealed. Offices of property dealers and hutments have sprouted all around it. But no one goes near the factory. “Usme bandook hai (there’s a gun there),” a seven-year-old whispered.