On 16 July 2021, Danish Siddiqui, age 41, one of India’s finest photojournalists, died on duty in war-ravaged Afghanistan. It was a sad day indeed, not just for India, but the entire world.
He left when we all needed him the most; to bring out the truth, the grim realities, our misery and anguish that insensitive governments ignore and push under the carpet; to arouse the conscience of powers that matter.
Armed with just a camera, Danish reported boldly and fearlessly on the various crises he got assigned to during his brief lifetime; Iraq war, Hong Kong uprising, Rohingya muslims, Delhi riots 2020, India’s Covid-19 devastation, to name but a few. The photos he clicked during his coverage were always strikingly special, as their prime focus was on the silent, terrified common people. They are the ones who suffer the most in every conflict for no fault of theirs.
During abnormal situations like wars and riots, law and order break down completely. With politicians also deeply involved, there appears to be a bigger conspiracy at work. Victims who survive through the senseless violence are often so badly traumatized that they see no point in even lodging an FIR.
In this scenario, photojournalism that Danish was so passionate about, helps by providing undeniable evidence against the perpetrators of violence and initiating necessary action.
Delhi’s riots of 2020, a direct consequence of the anti-CAA agitation, were uncannily similar to those of 1984 with sikhs as the targets and identified by their beards and turbans.
Here is one of Danish’s photos from riots of 2020, Delhi. It went viral.
The man in the photo, Mohammad Zubair, age 37, had nothing to do with the anti-CAA agitation. On the morning of 24 February 2020, he went to a 17th century Idgah at Sadar Bazar for his annual pilgrimage. He dressed the way muslims normally do when they visit a mosque (white salwar-kameez with matching skull cap).
On his way back home, around 2 PM, blissfully unaware of what awaited him, he picked up some fruits and sweets for his children. He had forgotten to bring along his mobile phone, so his family couldn’t warn him. He was close to his destination when a mob identified him by his dress and shouted, “Maro is mulle ko!”. They meant in Hindi: kill this mullah.
They kept on thrashing him brutally with rods and swords all over his body till he turned into a mass of blood and flesh. He just couldn’t understand why they did this to him. They were screaming anti-muslim slogans and mentioned the name of politician Kapil Mishra.
Danish was on duty in his riot gear; helmet, gas mask, and all, being a trained photojournalist. He clicked the tell-all photos and discussed the story later in his press sessions. Zubair had a miraculous escape because of some good Samaritans who helped him get prompt medical attention. His family didn’t see any point in reporting the matter to the police.
While Zubair was recovering (see the pic below), Danish remained in close touch with him and apologized to him for not intervening. He explained that being a photojournalist, it was important for him to stay alive to tell the story.
During Danish’s last week in Afghanistan along with the Afghan security forces, a piece of shrapnel hit him in the arm. But this didn’t deter him. After taking basic first aid, he carried on with his job. He was talking to the shopkeepers when he was struck down by Taliban’s rocket firing on Afghan security forces. See below some pics.
As per the latest media reports, however, dated 30 July 2021, Danish didn’t just die accidentally in crossfire. He was brutally murdered by the Taliban at the mosque from where he got his first-aid treatment. The Afghan soldiers who tried to save him all met the same fate; murdered in cold blood.
The strangest part of this tragedy is that amid thousands of grief-filled messages from all over the globe including those of UN Secretary General Chief Antonio Guterres and Joe Biden Administration, USA, our own Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained conspicuously silent.
Danish was buried in the cemetery at Jamia Milia University, his alma mater, on 18 July 2021. His father worked here in its Department of Education.
Rest in peace, Danish Siddiqui…Death has given you far more fame and glory than Life itself…How I wish our paths had crossed when you were alive…Your work and your extraordinary courage will definitely inspire many to follow your footsteps.
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