Nadiya Shafi

Nadiya Shafi is a social worker, feminist and one of the most promising young leaders in the Kashmir women’s movement. But it didn’t always look like it would turn out that way. The Kashmiri society can be extremely oppressive of young women like Nadiya, who are discouraged from considering a career beyond marriage. But Nadiya wanted more. After completing a Masters Degree in Social Work from University of Kashmir in 2010, she worked with different local and national level social organisations. When VV launched its KashmirUnheard project in September 2014, Nadiya took up the job with the team. Working also…

An 18-year-old boy Irfan Fayaz Wani was killed after he was allegedly hit by a teargas shell in Malarata area of Srinagar city on Sunday evening. “Irfan had gone to Malarata to attend the wedding function of his cousin,” a family member tells Nadiyah Shafi. “The situation was normal when he left the area to proceed towards his home. Some vehicles of government forces were present in Malarata area. The situation was peaceful when he was targeted with a tear smoke shell,” Rafiqa Banoo, the mother of the slain youth said.

Rafiqa further reveals details that to hint that Irfan’s death may not an accidental but premeditated, “Khanyar and Nowhatta would come and ask me to hand Irfan over or threaten to killing my son every time.” The mother further tells Nadiyah that Irfan’s father’s untimely death was also due to the constant police raids. An auto driver by profession according to his family members was the sole bread earner of his family.

A protest was staged by people in Fathekadal against the killing of Irfan Fayaz. The protesters, mostly women while the killing of youth as cold-blooded murder demanded an impartial probe into the incident. Without Irfan and his father, the family is in a quandary for survival. #KashmirUnrest