August 29, 2006, a day forever etched in the memories of the people of Kashmir, a day when the innocence of a 17-year-old boy was brutally snuffed out by the hands of terrorism. Meraj-ud-Din Bhat, a young life full of promise and dreams, was found with his throat slit, his body lying lifeless near his home in Raiyar Aribal, Beerwah, Budgam. The same day, Sakina Bano, a woman who had only known love and kindness, was mercilessly killed by terrorists at her residence in Dawoocha, Baramulla.
The scars of that fateful day still linger, a painful reminder of the senseless violence that has plagued the region for far too long. The families of Meraj and Sakina, their loved ones, and the entire community were left to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives, forever changed by the cruelty of terrorism.
Let us remember the innocent lives lost, the families torn apart, and the countless dreams shattered by the senseless acts of violence. May their memories continue to inspire us to work towards a future where peace, love and humanity triumph over hate and terrorism.
