‘We even paid for coffin,’ laments Kashmiri family of Delhi blast victim
Srinagar: The family of 28-year-old Bilal Ahmad Sangoo, a Kashmiri labourer killed in the November 10 Red Fort blast in Delhi, continues to grieve weeks after his death, with no government compensation or official support.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Bilal, from a marginalised Gujjar Muslim family in Baba Nagri, Ganderbal, Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir was the sole breadwinner. His father, Ghulam Hassan Sangoo, told the media that, “We even had to pay for his coffin. Every expense—from travel to hospital procedures—came from our pockets. No parent should hear of their child’s death through a WhatsApp photo, with no official informing them.”
The family also struggled to bury Bilal, as there was no space in the village graveyard, forcing them to bury him on their own land. Local observers noted that the neglect reflects systemic discrimination against Kashmiri workers.
Despite announcements from Delhi’s Chief Minister promising ex gratia compensation of 10 lakh rupees for victims, Bilal’s family has received nothing. Opposition leader Mehbooba Mufti and MP Agha Ruhullah Mehdi visited the family, urging immediate support and financial assistance, and condemning the selective attention of Indian media that largely ignored Bilal’s story.
“Bilal’s death exposes the propaganda labeling Kashmiris as terrorists. If other communities’ lives are mourned, why is our grief ignored?” his father asked.
