'Shoulder my coffin': J&K mother pleads to militant son
In Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar, 86-year-old Janna Begum passed away still hoping her son, Riaz Ahmed—a Hizbul Mujahideen commander—would come home and leave militancy behind.
She made heartfelt video pleas in late 2025, saying, "Come back, take care of me. If I die, shoulder my coffin."
Her husband, Mohammad Ramzan, also urged Riaz to surrender and return, but he never did.
Riaz joined the militant ranks around 15 years ago
Riaz joined the militant ranks around 15 years ago after being influenced by a recruiter who later surrendered himself.
Now considered an A+ commander with reported training in Pakistan, he remains wanted by security forces with a ₹10 lakh reward on his head.
Despite repeated family appeals and shifting local attitudes against militancy, Riaz didn't attend his mother's funeral or surrender—leaving her last wish unfulfilled.