Author: Prashant Rupera
Publication: The Times of India
Dated: May 6, 2006
Three days after the communal riots took away
her only son, Indu Shah (55), a widow, is still wondering what forced the
rioters to kill the only earning member of her family Shah's son Biren (27)
was stabbed to death on May 1 and now she is demanding that the culprits should
be punished.
"Kill me too or give me justice,"
she says even as she recalls how Biren had started a small shop to support
the family just a day before he was killed. "All those who were responsible
for my son's death should be arrested. They should be punished by the highest
law of the land. If such criminals are not punished, they will get a free
hand and will kill others. In case the police fail to provide me justice,
I have an offer for the rioters-kill me."
Biren was stabbed to death near the Moti Masjid
in Nani Voharwad area of the city. "As soon as the riots broke out in
the city, my son started worrying about me. I asked him to stay at his brother-in-Law's
house, but he knew that I don't eat food without him and hence he took a short
cut to come home. But, before he could reach, the rioters killed him."
Shah's family stays in Jagmahal pole near Mandvi. Since then many people have
approached Shah stating that they are ready to avenge her son's death. "I
have stopped them. I am aware that no community is entirely responsible for
such incidents," she says.
"We cremated his body in' the night as
we did not wanted to create law and order problems," she says.
Though the riots in the last few days have
engulfed many areas, the presence of the army on Thursday was enough to curb
the violence. Barring a few incidents on Wednesday night in Navapura and Ajwa
Road areas, peace prevailed on Thursday.
