Srinagar:
Eleven-day-old Irfan was ill and being taken to hospital, when a mob of stone throwers attacked the vehicle he was in. The mob beat up Irfan's parents, his three-year-old brother was hit on the head and the infant was killed.
All this to enforce a strike called to protest the government crackdown against stone throwers in Kashmir.
Irfan's parents are inconsolable as they grieve for their newborn child. Only a few hours ago they were taking him to a Baramullah hospital in the hope that he would be well soon. But he never reached the hospital.
"Some people came in Tata Sumos and were throwing stones. They got into our vehicle; they hit the baby who was in his mother's lap. They were protesting and hit my other son in the head. He is only three years old. Baby was hit and pushed to the window. Blood poured out of his nose. We took him to hospital where he was declared brought dead," Irfan's father Nissar Ahmed recounted.
Irfan's mother said they were near Baramullah town when the incident took place.
Police have registered a murder case against unidentified attackers, but are so far clueless about who they were.
The state government has condemned the killing and is promising strict action. But it blames the Opposition for supporting the stone throwers. "This is the result of the encouragement these stone-pelters are receiving from various political quarters, including unfortunately from the principal Opposition party based out of Kashmir", J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said. (
Read: Stone-pelters of Srinagar - a unique challenge)
Baby Irfan was buried on Tuesday evening. His grandfather Gulam Rasool asks: "What was the baby's fault that he was killed in such a manner?"
The political blame games will continue, but one family in Kashmir is forever scarred. (
Read: Baby Irfan's death, who's to blame?)