Kargil hero's family hounded in Pune: Mob demands papers, cops detain kin

In a disturbing incident that raises questions about civic tolerance and law enforcement conduct, the family of a decorated Kargil War veteran in Pune was allegedly harassed by a mob and detained by police, after being accused of being "illegal immigrants".

Late on the night of July 26, a group of 30 to 40 unidentified men reportedly stormed the home of retired Naik Havildar Hakimuddin Shaikh’s family in the city’s Chandan Nagar area. Shouting slogans and demanding documents, the mob threatened to brand the family as Rohingya Muslims from Bangladesh if they failed to produce proof of Indian citizenship.

“We were told that if we didn’t show our papers, we’d be declared illegal immigrants,” a family member was quoted as saying by India Today TV.

Hakimuddin, a veteran of the 1999 Kargil War and a former soldier with the Indian Army’s 269 Engineer Regiment, expressed anguish over the treatment meted out to his family. “I served the nation with pride for 16 years. My family has lived here since 1960. Why are we being asked to prove our citizenship?” he said from his hometown, where he now resides.

His brother, Irshad Shaikh, who lives in the Pune residence, recounted the ordeal. “The mob barged in around 11.30 pm. One police officer nearby tried to intervene but didn’t stop them. Later, instead of protecting us, the police took all adult men from our family to the station and held us there till 3 am,” he said.

The family, with a long military lineage including relatives who fought in the 1965 and 1971 wars, has demanded a thorough investigation into the incident. They also alleged that the police’s response was not only inadequate but complicit.

While a formal complaint has been filed, Deputy Commissioner of Police Somay Munde defended the police action. He confirmed that officers visited the area that night based on "inputs about suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants" and had only asked for identity verification.

The family, however, maintains that the ordeal began with a mob intrusion — not police procedure — and are calling for accountability.

“We are Indian. We have served this country in three wars. If we are not safe in our own home, who is?” Irshad asked.