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| Shaleen's 10th birthday: Heavens fail too as celebrations turn into mourning | | |
ARTEEV SHARMA
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, June 17: The shrieking silence and the eerie environs enveloping the area in Nai Basti where a 10 years old sibling was snatched by cruel hands of destiny a week ago presented a ghostly look with agony and despondency writ large over the inhabitants there.
A mother wailing through a throttling throat that denies swallowing a single loaf of bread since the unfortunate happened is more than a half-dead cabbage unable to come out of the loss she has borne.
The father, now a speechless human turned ghostly mannequin threw a stony-eyed look into the faces of those moving around. Today was Shaleen's 10th birth anniversary.
The coming of the occasion immediately after his gruesome killing few days ago has once again rekindled the pain and torture afresh for the parents who have been through the trauma since they have lost their only beloved one.
"The day used to be an occasion of celebrations has turned ominously dark not only for family members but also for entire locality. Special prayers had been organised for whole night every year by the family of Shaleen Gupta," one of neighbours, who wished not to be named, told Early Times.
He informed, "The family members had booked a banquet hall in the locality for special prayers to celebrate the birthday of Shaleen. As the cruelty and brutality of nature are all part of God's plan, the brutal killing of innocent 'Guddu' (Shaleen) for ransom has shaken the faith of people in God's existence."
"The health of Shaleen's mother has also got deteriorated as she had not been taking food since tragedy struck the family on June 11. She was administered two bottles of glucose yesterday and she has virtually lost her consciousness and control over her emotions. She is inconsolable as only tears have been rolling down the cheeks and she is not responding to the queries of anyone," an uncle of deceased Shaleen said.
"Our Shaleen was very popular in the neighbourhood for his innocence. People loved his walk and behaviour," he remarked.
"He wanted to have a scooty which runs on battery. I had decided to present him gift in form of scooty on his 10th birthday. But the destiny had something else for him," he said.
"I would not forgive those who killed my innocent son," the father, Naresh Gupta screamed.
Meanwhile, people of all walks of life including students, businessmen etc paid their rich tributes to Shaleen on his 10th birthday. A solemn tribute ceremony was organised at his residence by close relatives where relatives joined his parents and prayed for departed soul.
With stony-eyed look, Shaleen's family members spend time in his room where his school books, favourite games, uniform and dresses and photographs of his last birthday and family pictures were laying scattered.
If the shopkeepers of Nai Basti area kept the shutters of their shops down as a mark of tribute to the departed soul, several others outside their residence and in general organised remembrance ceremonies to pay homage to the class 5th student of Air force station, Jammu.
Hundreds of people comprising Sikhs and women organised a candle light prayers in memory of Shaleen Gupta at Nai Basti while the Raghunath Bazaar Association also paid similar tributes to the departed soul.
National Secular Forum (NSF) also organised special prayers on Jammu University campus and paid rich tributes to Shaleen on his birthday by lighting candles.
Vikas Sharma, president NSF also demanded that road stretch between Satwari and Hotel Asia should be named after Shaleen Gupta.
Earlier in the day, the inhabitants of Nai Basti also staged a protest against the kidnapping and brutal killing of Shaleen demanding that the accused should be hanged.
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