‘Difficult to deal with stigma in society’

Bengaluru: “The moment my parents knew about my arrest, it was like the ground had caved in beneath their feet. I lost my job as a junior research scientist, was put through hell for six months,” said Aejaz Ahmed Mirza (25), one of the youths picked up on August 29th last year for allegedly being involved in an assassination plot.

Speaking at a public discussion held to create awareness about Muslims being targeted in terror cases, Mirza, along with two other acquitted individuals, Muthi-ur-Rahman Siddiqui and Mohammed Yusuf Nalbandh spoke about the stigma in the society post the incident.

Siddiqui admitted that he felt no delight in being a journalist. “Just days after our arrests the media referred to us as ‘terrorists’. While the media insisted that the government issue me an apology and provide compensation; I felt it hypocritical of them since they too had traumatized me,” he asserted. 

Courtesy: Deccan Chronicle