Budgam, July 22 (KNO): Three decades ago, the Qureshi family of Lolipora in Beerwah lost its head when Ghulam Mohiuddin Qureshi, a head constable in Jammu and Kashmir police, died while on official duty. On Wednesday, tragedy returned to the same doorstep after terrorists killed his son Ashiq Hussain Qureshi, also a head constable, leaving behind another grieving generation.
According to the details available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) the 45-year-old policeman, who had joined the Jammu and Kashmir Police under the compassionate job policy after his father's death, was shot dead in a terror attack near Lal Chowk in south Kashmir's Anantnag district while performing his duties.
For the people of Lolipora, Ashiq was not merely a policeman. He was the son who carried forward his father's legacy, the man who supported his widowed mother, cared for his family and quietly fulfilled every responsibility placed upon his shoulders.
As his mortal remains reached the village late Wednesday evening, silence gave way to grief. Women broke down in tears while men struggled to hold back emotions as hundreds lined both sides of the road to receive the coffin draped in the Tricolour.
The entire village reverberated with emotional slogans of "Ashiq Tere Khoon Se Inquilab Aayega" and "Shaheed Ki Jo Maut Hai, Woh Qaum Ki Hayat Hai," as mourners bid a final farewell to one of their own sons.
Senior police officers, led by DIG Central Kashmir Range Rajiv Omprakash Pandey and SSP Budgam Hariprasad K.K., besides several other officers, reached Lolipora to shoulder the coffin and express solidarity with the bereaved family.
Thousands of people from Beerwah and adjoining areas attended the funeral prayers with moist eyes, making it one of the largest gatherings the village has witnessed in recent years. Deputy Commissioner Budgam, SSP Budgam and other top officials attended the funeral procession of the slain policeman.
According to officials, Ashiq was critically injured after suspected terrorists opened fire on a police party in Anantnag on Wednesday afternoon. He was shifted to Government Medical College (GMC), Anantnag, where doctors declared him brought dead.
Family members said Ashiq had spoken to them over the phone barely an hour before the attack. None imagined it would be their last conversation.
His father, Ghulam Mohiuddin Qureshi, had lost his life in 1990's after coming under a landslide in Ramban district while on official duty. Following his father's death, Ashiq joined the police force under the compassionate job policy and continued serving for years with dedication.
He is survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter, his widowed mother, a brother and three married sisters.
Remembering him, Zubair Ahmad, a resident of Lolipora, said Ashiq lived with honesty and humility despite wearing the uniform.
"He was a brave and noble soul. Everyone in the village respected him because he was honest, kind-hearted and always ready to help others. We have lost not just a policeman but a brother," Zubair told KNO.
Another villager, Rafiq Ahmad, said Ashiq's death has devastated the entire village. "He was the breadwinner of his family and fulfilled every responsibility with dignity. The government should stand firmly with his family and ensure they receive all possible support. It is impossible to compensate for such a loss, but justice should be done to those he left behind," he said.
As darkness fell over Lolipora, the echoes of mourning slowly faded, but the grief remained. For the Qureshi family, tragedy has painfully repeated itself—first a father lost in service, and now a son martyred in the line of duty.
In one home in Budgam, two generations have now paid the ultimate price while serving the nation.—(KNO)