Five of Bismillah Khan’s shehnais ‘stolen’, son alleges foul play

SHEHNAIS BELONGING to late maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan have gone missing for the third time since 2009.

While his son Kazim Hussain, who looks after Khan’s finances, Monday claimed that the instruments were stolen, those associated with the ustad’s trust and his youngest son alleged foul play.

Kazim claimed that thieves had broken into his ancestral house in Varanasi’s Hardaha Sarai area — while he was staying at his other house in the city — and took away five shehnais. Four of them were made of silver. The matter was reported to Chowk police station in Varanasi late on Sunday when Kazim returned and reportedly found the lock of his house broken.

Khan’s grandson Afaque Haider Hussain said: “My uncle Kazim has got an FIR lodged alleging that five shehnais were stolen between December 1 and 3. The family came to know about thetheftwhenwewereinformed by Kazim.” Afaque is the son of Khan’s third son, Zamin Hussain.

“According to the FIR, four of the five stolen shehnais were made of silver while one was made of wood,” Chowk SHO Shivanand Yadav said.

Meanwhile, Khan’s youngest son Ustad Nazim Hussain, who used to play the tabla with his father,allegedfoulplay.“kazimhad claimedthatshehnaiswerestolen in 2009 and 2014. This time, he claims five shehnais are missing. When I last spoke to him, he said hehaddonatedeveryitembelongingtoourfather.wheredidthese thingscomefrom?”askednazim.