Impoverished phone repairer among RPF shooter's victims

Hyderabad: One of the four persons who was shot dead by a Railway Protection Force (RPF) jawan on the Jaipur-Mumbai Express on Monday, was from Hyderabad. Forty-two-year-old Syed Saifuddin, a resident of A Battery Lines, Bazaar Ghat in Nampally, was returning after offering a ‘chaddar’ at the Khaja Garib Nawaz Ajmer Sharif dargah.

Saifuddin used to run a mobile phone repair kiosk at Gujarati galli near Koti and was stated to be under dire financial stress. He had gone along with 65-year-old Mohammed Jabbar had left home a week ago to the Ajmer dargah to offer special prayers to overcome financial hassles. They had taken the train to Mumbai to purchase mobile accessories before heading home.

The RPF informed Safiuddin’s family of his death on Tuesday, calling his younger brother Syed Younusuddin to convey the news. In deep shock upon hearing the news, the family members initially believed that it might be case of a mistaken identity.

Later, Saifuddin’s uncle Wahid Pasha, who works in a local channel, confirmed the news. The victim’s wife Anjuman Fatima fell unconscious on hearing the news. She was immediately revived.

“My husband has been going to the Khaja Garib Nawaz dargah and Mumbai for 13 years,” she said. “I am still waiting for him to return home.”

The Mumbai RPF identified Saifuddin through his Aadhar card which had the address of his native place in Haleemapur of Bidar district. When they police visited Haleemapur, they were informed that Saifuddin had shifted to Hyderabad. They secured Younusuddin's contact number and informed him.

Nampally MIM legislator Jaffar Hussain Meraj who reached Saifuddin’s house on hearing the news said he would be travelling along with the victim’s brothers Yousufuddin and Younusuddin to Mumbai later on Tuesday. They would take the body to Haleemapur for the last rites. The MLA said he would be taking care of the expenses.

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi posted a tweet stating that Hussain was coordinating with Maharashtra officials. He requested the Telangana Chief Minister’s Office and minister K.T. Rama Raoto support the bereaved family.

Saifuddin is survived by his wife Anjuman Fatima, and three daughters, Saifia Faima, 6, Anam Faima, 2, and an eight-month-old. He used to earn between '600 and '800 a day, his neighbour Mohammed Osman.

The family was unable to put Safia in school and had not paid the house rent for five months. Saifuddin was the only earning member of the family. “He was a very humble person and a close friend of mine. Everyone in our locality are shocked,” Osman said.

Saifuddin had been taking care of the family expenses of his three sisters and two brothers; his two other sisters and two brothers are into agriculture in Hamirpur, Bidar, Saifuddin's neighbour, Sultan said.