New Delhi / Bengaluru:
In 2015, Bindu K was at her home in Thiruvananthapuram when she got to know about her daughter Nimisha’s decision of embracing Islam and changing her name to Fatima. Soon, Fatima married Bexen, a Christian who had converted to Islam, known to his friends as Eesa. Scared, Fatima didn’t come home. But mother refused to let go of her daughter and finally convinced Fatima and Eesa to visit her. Later, the husband-wife duo told Bindu that they were moving to Sri Lanka to set up a new business. That was the last time Bindu saw her daughter and son-in-law. In 2016, Bindu got to know about her daughter and it was not anywhere in Sri Lanka. Instead, her daughter and son-in-law were in Afghanistan.
Cut to November, 2019 a news from Kabul came to Bindu that may end her agonising wait to see her daughter. Fatima is among the 900 ISIS followers, who surrendered before Afghan security forces in Nangarhar. Around 13 Indians, mostly women and children, believed to be among those who have surrendered.
Named as one of the members of the ISIS group in India also known as Kasargod terror module, Nimisha, her infant daughter and some other Indians are likely to return home.
As Bindu wait for the big news, she spoke exclusively to News Nation and opened up about her struggle. When asked about getting any latest information on Nimisha (Fatima), Bindu said, “I have got some photographs, which were shared by the NIA. I have identified my son-in-law.”
Talking in frail voice, Bindu said that, “I have identified my granddaughter even though it was a long shot. I identified that it was my granddaughter.”
Bindu admitted that she couldn’t identify her daughter as everyone was wearing burqas. “There were seven to eight women in that photograph, who were all covered in burqas, so I couldn’t identify her. But I saw my granddaughter sitting in lap of one woman”
On Kerala cops contacting her, Bindu said, “No one contacted me Actually, I heard about 900 people surrendering. She (Fatima) will be among them. Screening process is going on, it might take some more time, I am leaving everything upon God. Once screening is over ,they will be handed to Indian govt .I am sure Indian government will contact me.”
Bindu kept on interjecting her answers with emotional ‘please pray for my daughter’ pleas. Talking about Fatima’s days in Afghanistan, Bindu said that “she contacted me. She forwarded pictures of my granddaughter and my son in law contacted me twice through the voice message.”
In 2016, 15 persons had disappeared from Kasargod and allegedly migrated to ISIS. The case was registered in the matter with 14 of the accused alleged to have migrated to Afghanistan and one to Syria.
