Hyderabad: Mohammad Mumtaz S/o Mohammad Zaheer, a restaurant owner is yet another Delhi riot victim whose flourishing business was reduced to rubble by the rioters.
Narrating his ordeal, Mumtaz, resident of Khajoori Khas Extension, said “When the riots started, I haven’t comprehended that it would turn out in such worse condition that it would take all that I have. I have never thought of people who we lived together with would do such things.”
Recalling the fateful evening he added, “On the evening of 23rd, I was running my restaurant as usual and some of the customers were sitting and enjoying the meal. Out of nowhere suddenly a mob attacked my business place and chanted slogans of hate. They were throwing stones and lit my place in no time. I have seen it burn, this is what happened with me.”
Not only his business but the rioters also set Mumtaz’s house ablaze. He states “This wasn’t enough of a bad news until I found out that a mob have torched my house in Khajuri Khas 25th evening. We were left with nothing but fear and disaster in front of us. We had to just save our lives. The memory of this bizarre situation still haunts me.”
As usual Siasat Millat Fund and Faiz-e-Aam Trust came to his rescue. Editor Siasat Mr Zahid Ali Khan and Secretary Faiz-e-Aam Trust Mr Iftekhar Hussain made fervent appeal and as always Hyderabadis came forward to help the person in distress and made generous donations.
Thanking Mr Zahid Ali Khan, Mr Iftekhar Hussain and generous donors of Hyderabad, Mumtaz says he used the donated money to buy essentials for the restaurant. He is trying to relocate it too as the previous owner didn’t want him to reopen the restaurant at the same place. Meanwhile, Mohammed Mumtaz’s mother fell seriously ill and passed away. According to Mumtaz her treatment cost Rs. 4 lakh. His father couldn’t handle the stress of his mother’s death and he too had to be admitted to the hospital.
Mumtaz has not yet come out of the financial crisis. The family is still residing in the burned house.