Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur)

Slain policeman’s FB post haunts Kashmir

- Press Trust of India letters@hindustant­imes.com

Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) is a 50-50 joint venture of the Centre and the state government.

The Centre has so far released over ₹2,000 crore for the project. The coaches reflected ‘Make in India’ vision. They have been built by Alstom near Chennai and have an Indian component of around 70% , he said.

In a tweet shortly after he completed a ride in the Metro, Modi said that it was a “futuristic infrastruc­ture that will contribute to India’s growth”.

Considered the fastest completed metro project in the country, Kochi Metro, the flagship transporta­tion infrastruc­ture project of Kerala, will start its regular operations from June 19.

Union Urban Developmen­t Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, Kerala Governor P Sathasivam, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithal­a, Ernakulam MP K V Thomas, Kochi Mayor Soumini Jain and ‘Metro Man’ E Sreedharan were among those present at the inaugural function.

Then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had laid the foundation of the project on September 13, 2012 and the constructi­on began in June, 2013 during the tenure of the previous Congressle­d UDF government headed by Oommen Chandy, who was conspicuou­s by his absence.

a chronicle of his death foretold, Feroz Ahmed Dar wrote, “Just imagine...yourself in your grave. Down there in that dark hole...Alone.”

The 32-year-old Jammu and Kashmir police officer was buried Friday night in the family’s ancestral graveyard in Dogripora village in Pulwama district with many from the village and his department bidding him a tearful farewell.

Dar and five other policemen were killed on Friday when suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants ambushed a police party in Anantnag’s Achabal area. The militants also tried to disfigure the faces of the policemen before walking away with their weapons.

As his family and friends prepared for the last journey, Dar’s words written on January 18, 2013, came back to haunt. “Did you ever stop for a while and asked yourself, what is going to happen to me the first night in my grave? Think about the moment your body is being washed and prepared to your grave.

“Think about the day people will be carrying you to your grave And your families crying ...think about the moment you are put in your grave,” he had written on his Facebook wall.

As Dogripora mourned its hero, his premonitio­n of death echoed from his “first night” in the grave.

Villagers queued up outside Dar’s home to offer their condolence­s. His two daughters -- sixyear-old Addah and two- yearold Simran -- watched bewildered. His wife Mubeena Akthar and aged parents wailed and beat their chests, trying to come to terms with the loss.

Nicknamed Dabang by his friends , Dar had wished earnestly for the situation in Kashmir to return to normal.

“Oh God! when will be the day we see normal Kashmir,” he had written on Facebook in 2013.

20YEAROLD MATTOO IS

 ?? PTI ?? (From left) Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, PM Narendra Modi and governor P Sathasivam take a ride in the newly launched Kochi Metro in Kerala on Saturday.
PTI (From left) Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, PM Narendra Modi and governor P Sathasivam take a ride in the newly launched Kochi Metro in Kerala on Saturday.
 ?? AP ?? Women vail in Kashmir’s Surasyar village during the funeral of policeman Tasveer Ahmad on Saturday. Ahmad was among the six cops who were gunned down by Lashkar militants on Friday.
AP Women vail in Kashmir’s Surasyar village during the funeral of policeman Tasveer Ahmad on Saturday. Ahmad was among the six cops who were gunned down by Lashkar militants on Friday.

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