Mumbra:
Ishrat Jahan lived in Mumbra on the fringes of Mumbai, an area that rose in her support when she was killed. Later, her neighbours refused to talk, scared of being branded as terrorists. But now, after a judicial inquiry report, they are again speaking up for Ishrat.
Mumbra is 45 km from Mumbai. A Muslim-dominated locality, that grew into a major settlement after the Mumbai riots. Ishrat lived in a building here and her death in 2004 sparked outrage
Hundreds came out for Ishrat's funeral in support of her family. But as the police started questioning locals, sympathy slowly dried up.
Isolated, Ishrat's family moved out. Now, after a judicial inquiry report has cleared Ishrat and termed her death as one in a fake encounter, her former neighbours feel emboldened again to vocally remember Ishrat: the 19 year old student.
Mohammad Safdar, Ishrat's former neighbor says: "It was a difficult time. Anyone who visited them was viewed with suspicion. So after a while no one supported them."
"She was a good girl, used to give tuitions to help the family," adds Rafiq Shaikh, another former neighbour
Mumbra residents are happy that Ishrat's name has finally been cleared. But they are happier still that the verdict has helped salvage Mumbra's image as a terror hub.
"It's not just Ishrat, the verdict will help Mumbra. Otherwise the police look at everyone who lives here as a terrorist," says Salim Shaikh, a resident of the locality.