Parzania in Real Life

Almost six years after the post-Godhra riots, a Muslim couple has found their missing son, rekindling hopes of many who are still waiting for news of their children, like the Modys of Gulbarg Society.But the happiness is tinged with frustration. The boy, who is being raised by a Hindu family, has refused to return. On Wednesday, a metropolitan court gave in to his choice and disappointed his natural parents.Mohammed Salim Shaikh and his wife Jaibunnisa, along with their two sons, had sought refuge in Ahmedabad’s Gulbarg Society on February 28, 2002. During a mob attack, 38 persons were killed and 31 went missing. Among them were Shaikh’s sister and his two-and-a-half-year-old son, Muzaffar. He is now called Vivek Vikram Patni.On July 14 that year, the Supreme Court-appointed special investigation team (SIT) told the Shaikhs that their son was alive. According to the SIT, Muzaffar, who went missing during the attack, was found by a constable of the crime branch. He took the boy to his cousin — Vikram and his wife Meena Patni in Saraspur. Since then, Muzaffar, now nine, has been living as a Hindu with the Patni family, which is in the business of selling fish.“We found the boy a yearand-a-half ago and informed the SIT who carried out the DNA test last month,” said Teesta Setalvad of Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) The DNA sample matched with Shaikh and his wife. The Shailhs then filed for custody in the metropolitan court. However, when Meena refused custody, the court asked the boy to choose. He said he preffered his adopted family.Aggrieved with the court’s decision, Shaikh is planning to move the Gujarat high court for custody. “A missing persons’ report has been lodged for my son at the Meghaninagar police station, and this couple had also assured the police that they would return the boy when his actual parents were found. But now they are going back on their word. I will fight till the Supreme Court for Muzaffar,” he said. Shaikh has three other children and works in a plastic manufacturing company in Naroda. The development has rekindled hope for the Modys, a Parsi family from Gulbarg Society whose son Azhar went missing. “Now we have hope of finding Azzu as well”, said Dara Mody, his father. This story had inspired the film Parzania.