A wave of concern and confusion spread across Jammu and Kashmir after reports emerged suggesting that Shamima Begum, the mother of Shaurya Chakra awardee Mudassir Sheikh, had been taken from her home in Uri for deportation to Pakistan.
However, within hours, the J&K Police issued a public clarification denying the claims and called the reports “false and misleading.”
Mudassir Sheikh, a brave officer who was martyred during an encounter with Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists near Baramulla in May 2022, was posthumously awarded the Shaurya Chakra.
His mother, Shamima Begum, had accepted the honor on his behalf from President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in May 2023.
In a statement issued Tuesday evening, Baramulla Police said:
“His sacrifice is a matter of immense pride for the Jammu and Kashmir Police and for the nation. We urge the public and media to refrain from circulating unverified information.”
To support the police’s clarification, a video surfaced in which Shamima Begum explained that she had travelled to Srinagar due to illness, not because she was being deported.
“There was some issue with a neighbor. I was unwell and came to Srinagar for treatment. People assumed I had been taken away by the police. These rumors are false,” she said.
Despite this, her family had earlier alleged that she was taken from her residence on Monday night. Mohammad Younus Sheikh, Mudassir’s uncle, explained that Begum’s father had originally migrated to Pakistan during the Partition, later returned to India with her after his wife’s death, and was buried in Uri.
Nasir Maqsood, another son of Begum, stated that a local police officer had come to their home informing them that her name was on a list of individuals to be deported, but the process had since been halted.
“My brother gave his life for the country. How can the nation now ask our mother to leave?” he asked.
Meanwhile, authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have reportedly transported 59 people to Punjab for deportation to Pakistan.
These actions have prompted widespread concern, particularly because many of those targeted are elderly individuals, women, and long-time residents who have lived in India for decades.
One such case involved Sumaira, a woman from Rawalpindi, Pakistan, who married Mudassir Ahmad of Srinagar in 2017. As his wife was being transported to Amritsar for deportation, Mudassir drove closely behind the bus, with their two-year-old son in the car.
“My wife has all her documents in order, including a valid Long-Term Visa (LTV). We’ve always cooperated with local authorities,” he said.
He recounted how his family was awoken just after midnight by a knock at the door from the police and was then taken to the District Police Line in Srinagar, where they found others awaiting transport.
In another emotional account from Srinagar, Naziya Zargar spoke of her elderly relatives, Ghulam Qadir and Dilshada, both around 65 years old, who were picked up by the police late Monday night.
Having lived in Rajouri Kadal for over 45 years, they were sent to Attari the next morning. “They’ve lost two children here, one to violence and another to illness.
Their lives, their losses, everything is rooted in Kashmir,” she said. She added that the elderly couple were unaware they would be deported and had carried no belongings when they were asked to report to the Nowhatta police station.
With reports stating that at least 28 individuals were transported from the Kashmir Valley to Attari, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the move, urging the central government to reconsider.
She stated:
“This order to deport all Pakistani-origin individuals, particularly women who came here decades ago and became part of our society, is deeply distressing.
These women have families, children, and a life here. Forcibly removing them is not only unjust but emotionally and physically devastating.”
Mufti added that such actions, lacking compassion and context, could severely damage the social fabric and stability of the region, especially in cases where individuals had lived peacefully in India for 30 to 40 years.