Image Courtesy: sissecurity.in/gallery
 

“We had hired them, but a few days ago our team found that they were Kashmiri and we promptly terminated their services,” says DK Mishra from Sai International Security. The agency had terminated the services of three men; Irshad Ahmed, Altaf Ahmed and Zahoor Ahmed, less than a week after the Pulwama attacks. 

 

Though Mishra could not confirm the names of the dismissed guards he confirmed that they did not have any criminal record, pending criminal charges or any other reason for dismissal against them. When pressed on the matter of dismissing them only because they were Kashmiri, Mishra said, “Why are you media people making such a big issue? Is it just because they are Kashmiri?”

 

When confronted with allegations of withholding payments, Mishra categorically denied it. “They were owed an amount of around Rs 6000 to Rs 7000. We cleared it and even had proper vouchers made as per procedure. The men filed a complaint with the Kandivali police claiming we had not paid them, but the matter was resolved because we had followed all proper payment procedure.”” However, when we contacted Kandivali police station, we were told no such case had come to them. Even Kashimira and Kasarwadavli police stations that are closer to the Ghodbunder road based agency denied having been approached in such a case.

 

All through the conversation Mishra expressed no regret in the agency’s decision to sack three innocent men. This is exactly like the justification given by rampaging mobs of hooligans who have been attacking Kashmiri students, traders and business establishments across the country. 

 

Sabrang would like to reiterate that while the actions of terrorists in Pulwama must be condemned, justice cannot be served by punishing the innocent.