Janna Begum, an octogenarian from Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, who had repeatedly begged her militant son to abandon violence and return home, passed away without seeing him surrender.
An elderly mother’s heartbreaking appeal for peace ended in silence as her last wish went unanswered. Janna Begum, an octogenarian from Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, who had repeatedly begged her militant son to abandon violence and return home, passed away without seeing him surrender.
Begum, a resident of Aniyar village in the Marwah belt, died at her home four days ago. In November and December last year, her emotional video message had gone viral on social media, as she pleaded with her son, Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riaz Ahmed, to lay down arms and come back to his family.
“Let him surrender and come back to take care of us. At least he should be here when we are alive and shoulder my coffin,” she had said in one such video.
Those words now serves as a painful reminder of an unfulfilled hope. A close relative confirmed that Begum died without reuniting with her son. “Her last wish remained unfulfilled,” the relative said.
Hizbul Commander Son Remains Absconding
Riaz Ahmed, classified as an ‘A-plus’ category Hizbul Mujahideen commander, remains on the run and carries a reward of Rs 10 lakh. Security officials say he joined militancy nearly 15 years ago and is believed to be linked with one of the longest-surviving Hizbul commanders active in the region.
In her public messages, Begum had openly questioned the very idea of militancy, highlighting how aging parents are left behind to suffer in silence. “What kind of jihad is this where parents are abandoned? We are alone. Who will take care of us?” she had asked.
“Terrorism is not good for the country. Those who pick up guns face either death or jail. If he listens to his parents and surrenders, it will be a good step,” an officer said.