Eknath Shinde gifts new house to martyr ponywallah’s family

SRINAGAR: Hapatnar village, located at the foothills of Pir Panjal mountains about 15 km ahead of Pahalgam, was unusually bustling on Tuesday. Many Shiv Sena workers had flocked to the quiet village, holding portraits of Maharashtra deputy chief minister and party leader Eknath Shinde.There was no sloganeering or political posturing, though, as it was not a party function but a solemn ceremony where Shinde, joining virtually, handed over a newly built one-storey house to the family of ponywallah Syed Adil Hussain Shah — the lone local victim of last year’s Pahalgam terror attack who lost his life while trying to save tourists.Maharashtra ministers Sanjay Shirsat and Yogesh Ramdas Kadam were present in the village, overseeing the event.Shinde had earlier extended a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the family, and later decided to build them a permanent home after seeing the dilapidated condition of their house.“Many thought we would not fulfil our promise, but we have now completed the house and handed it over to the family,” Shirsat said, adding that the gesture honoured Adil’s sacrifice. “It sends a message to the country that he laid down his life for others.”For the family, the day carried a mix of grief and pride. Adil’s father, Syed Haider Shah, said the loss had engulfed the family in grief. “But, when I think he died protecting tourists, it makes me proud,” he said.The house was built at a cost of around Rs 10-12 lakh. The family had hoped Shinde would visit them on the first anniversary of the attack. However, he couldn’t make it and sent two ministers.J&K govt and other organisations have given Adil’s family around Rs 20 lakh in financial assistance. His wife, Gulnaz Akhter, was given a permanent job in the fisheries department, while his brother, Nazakat, secured a daily-wage job with the waqf board. Another brother, Naushad, who once drove vehicles for others, now owns a taxi worth around Rs 12 lakh.Haider Shah said his son’s sacrifice sends a message that one must rise above the religious divide to protect humanity. “Adil was the backbone of our family, and I was expecting our lot to worsen after his death. But the support from so many quarters has helped us stay afloat,” he said.Expressing gratitude to the Shiv Sena chief, Shah said, “He has no vote bank here, and we were not his voters. Still, his people visited us many times all these months during the construction of the house and after it. These memories remain.”