“Eiy mein kouri, lookh hye chu praraan (Oh my daughter, people are waiting for you)”– the inconsolable mother of the Sopore girl who jumped in the river Jhelum keeps wailing.
On Monday (12 December), a 9th standard girl Basma (name changed) in north Kashmir’s Sopore area ended her life by jumping into river Jhelum and the body still remains unrecovered. Her relatives and friends are eagerly waiting for her remains on Jhelum embankments, even as people continue praying for early recovery.
Social media is abuzz with speculations about Basma’s suicide but it’s still unclear. However, her mother indicates that depression as a result of poverty was the reason behind her daughter’s suicide.
Basma’s father had passed some twelve years ago and her brother is suffering from a kidney ailment, the wailing mother said.
The mother of Basma said that some days ago Basma was suffering from ailments borne out of deep depression. She was suffering from constant migraines and from chest pain, “I took her to the hospital where Basma was treated,” she said, adding, “On suicide day, she had gone to her uncle’s home. When she came back, I gave her Nun Chai (pink tea) which she took, and asked for a water glass.”
“I provided and she took a tablet (medicine),” she said. Basma told me that she has brought only one strip of medicine due to the lack of money, I replied ‘Nothing to worry I will order more,” says the mother.
“Basma took a tablet and I left the house for some work” she said.
The mother said that when she returned back home, she enquired on Basma’s whereabouts. “She left the house after you, my elder daughter told me,” she added.
Adding, the doctors had already advised her to take care of daughter. “Outside the shopkeeper told me that my daughter was walking towards the bridge over Jhelum river,” she said.
Another woman told the mother that she saw Basma on the bridge. Basma’s elder daughter who was also seraching Basma noticed the 9th class girl holding the protection wall of bridge.
“When Basma saw her sister coming close to her, she jumped in the river,” she said.
Since then, the Jammu Kashmir Police along with other rescue teams have been trying to trace Basma’s body, but to no avail. On Thursday, the search operation to trace her body entered the fourth day.
“She was frustrated, she was over with headache,” her mother recalls.
She appealed district administration to provide the government job to any of her children. So that they can live a unstressed life.
The concerned Deputy commissioner has claimed on her twitter handle, “Brother already helped the family with some cash. Government job cannot be provided, you would know. For other assistance will reach out!.”
Meanwhile social media is abuzz with anguish over the tragic incident. Several social media users expressed sorrow over the death of the teenager.
Brutally and utterly , Collective shame for the people of sopore ,she did commit suicide only to show us that you failed as a society.
We would be accountable on the day when she will drag us to Almighty Allah.
Is suicide haraam or Halaal that is between her and Allah.#Shame— وانی توصیف (@VaaniTawseef) December 14, 2022
Skinder Gulzar, a social media user wrote, “An orphan girl from Sopore have allegedly commit suicide after feeling helpless of family financial problems. As a society how shameful we shall fell.”
An orphan girl from Sopore have allegedly commit suicide after feeling helpless of family financial problems.
As a society how shameful we shall fell?— Sikander Gulzar ( سکندر گلزار) (@Sikander_gulzar) December 14, 2022
Javid Banday, another twitter user wrote, “As a kashmiri we have failed to protect the 17 year old girl. Her extreme poverty makes her mentally sick & she kissed death by suicide.
We have examples when we lived for each other in past. Hope everyone will take care of everyone else.”
#sopore#suicide
As a kashmiri we have failed to protect the 17 year old girl. Her extreme poverty makes her mentally sick & she kissed death by suicide.
We have examples when we lived for each other in past.
Hope everyone will take care of everyone else.— Javaid Banday🕊️ (@javaidbanday) December 14, 2022