Ashoo’s first statement in presence of Magistrate

“I saw my world end before my eyes”

“I ran to nearby government quarters but found no one there. Crestfallen I lay under the outer wall of the quarters to see the flames smouldering. By then everything inside had perished. I started shivering with biting cold and in desperation rushed back home, which was not engulfed by the fire. When I entered inside I found my family members dead. I cried but there was none to respond. I went back to the government quarters, only to find myself alone. The parental love brought me back home again. I laid myself under their feet. Kissed them, hugged them hoping that they would respond.

But alas, they were dead. Besides being shocked to see all my family members lying dead, I was also frightened with the thought that the killers might come back and shoot me dead too. I again went to top storey of the house and hid myself under the heap of cow dung, motionless, for many hours. I wanted to weep but the very thought of killers being around stopped me from doing so.

“It was a long agonizing wait till dawn. With the first ray of the sun becoming visible, I came down and lay under the feet of my parents again. Then the thought came to me what to do alone. I got up, collected my school bag, the dearest of my belongings and put it around my neck. Then I collected the papers regarding ownership of the house and land we own, from my father’s suitcase and also took out the “mangalsutra” which my mother was wearing. I put both these things in my school bag. Then I turned around to see my sister, Poonamba, whom I loved most. The only thing she was having was a small handkerchief in her “pheran” pocket. I took it out too and put in my bag. I wanted to leave but where I didn’t know? It was around 6.30 by my watch which was gifted to me by my sister that I heard some movement from outside the house. I got frightened and peeped from the window to see some people in police uniform looking around. I thought they too were the killers and rushed back to my hide out, heap of cow dung on top floor of the house. After sometime, policemen came upstairs looking for me. I started shivering. Their officer asked me to come out saying we are policemen and have come for your protection. I didn’t believe. They came and caught hold of me. I thought it was the last moment of my life and next I will be shot dead. However, they brought me down, called for a glass of water which I refused to take. Then they took me along and searched each house. I identified the dead bodies except the four of the family from Shopian, who were the guests of our neighbour Moti Lal. I did not know them. By then Army also came and came so many officers to see me. The villagers also returned, started wailing and weeping. An officer asked me about the bag which I was holding. They wanted to take it away despite my imploring. Someone got the idea that I was carrying something dear to me. I then explained to the officer what was inside my bag.

“Another hell broke me in the day when I lit the pyres of my family and witnessed the mass cremation of those who loved me much. I saw my world destroyed in flames. I have lost everything except the house where I was born and which I don’t want to leave. That is the sacred relic for me which I will always keep”.