‘You killed a person who served Kashmiris’

Dr Shraddha Bindroo, daughter of Makhan Lal Bindroo who was shot dead by separatist militants on Tuesday, challenged the gunmen who killed her father to face her in a debate

 “You can’t kill his spirit,” said Dr Shraddha Bindroo, daughter of Srinagar’s prominent pharmacist Makhan Lal Bindroo who was shot dead by suspected militants on Tuesday. She challenged the gunmen who killed her father to face her in a debate.

Three civilians, including Makhan Lal Bindroo, a Kashmiri Pandit, were shot dead by suspected militants on Tuesday in separate incidents in Srinagar and Bandipora districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Sixty-eight-year-old Makhan Lal Bindroo was shot at by the assailants from point-blank range while he was at his pharmacy Bindroo Medicate in Srinagar, dispensing medicines.

Dr Shraddha said her father may have died but his spirit would always live on. “My father was a fighter, always said ‘I’ll die with my shoes on’,” she said.

“You can kill one person, but you can’t kill the spirit of Makhan Lal. Whoever shot dead my father, come in front of me. My father gave me education, while politicians gave you guns and stones. You want to fight with guns and stones? That is cowardice. All politicians are using you, come and fight with education,” said a fearless Shraddha Bindroo, without a tear in her eyes.

She further added, “Mister, who shot my father dead while he was working, if you have the guts and courage, come and have a face-to-face debate with us. Then we will see what you are. You won’t be able to utter a word. All you can do is throw stones and shoot bullets from behind.”

Recollecting her family’s journey, Shraddha said, “I am an associate professor. I started from zero; my father started from a bicycle, my brother is a famous diabetologist, my mother sits in the shop — that is what Makhan Lal Bindroo made us. A Kashmiri Pandit, he will never die. Despite being a Hindu, I have read the Quran. The Quran says you may kill the body, the spirit lives on. Bindroo will remain alive in spirit.”

In another interview with ANI, Shraddha Bindroo can be heard saying, “He was an awesome person who served Kashmir and Kashmiriyat. His body is gone but his spirit is still alive. Person responsible for the crime has opened doors of hell for himself.”

 A Kashmiri Pandit, Makhan Lal Bindroo, was one of the few from the community who did not migrate out at the onset of militancy in 1990. He stayed back along with his wife to continue operating his business which grew to become a trusted name in the city for quality medicines. Within an hour, militants struck at Hawal area of the city, killing a non-local street vendor, an official said.

Virender, who used to sell bhelpuri, was also shot at point blank and died on the spot, he said, adding further details were being ascertained. Within minutes of the second killing, militants shot dead Mohammad Shafi Lone at Naidkhai in Bandipora district, the officials said.