Aga Syed Mehdi (19 February 1959 – 3 November 2000) was a prominent

Kashmir Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...

Shia Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his S ...

leader and social activist. He was son of

Aga Syed Mustafa Moosavi Mustafa Al-Moosavi Al-Safvi (2 February 1918 – 21 August 2002) widely known as Aga Sahab ( ur, آغا صاحب) was a Kashmiri Shia Muslim cleric, Islamic Jurist, Islamic scholar, philanthropist and former President of Anjuman-e-Sharie Shiyaa ...

. He was assassinated in an IED blast on Friday 3 November 2000.

Life and education

Aga Syed Mehdi was born in

Budgam Budgam (), known as Badgom (; ) in Kashmiri language, Kashmiri, is a town in Budgam district in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir, India. In the 2001 census, it was recorded as having a notified area ...

, Kashmir into the prominent Aga family. He studied at Baab-ul-Ilm and subsequently received Maulawi Fazil from Jamia Bab-ul-Ilm, Budgam. He joined Anjuman E Sharie Shian as a member by the age of 22. He rose into prominence among the people for his philanthropic works. Later he joined

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British Em ...

and participated in MP elections in 1998. During the time of 1990's Kashmir insurgency, Shaheed Aga Syed Mehdi rescued many innocent youth from interrogation centers and army camps detained during crackdowns by Task Force and military.

Assassination and aftermath

On 3 November 2000, Aga Syed Mehdi was assassinated in a powerful IED blast on the way to Magam along with his three security personnel and two supporters at Kanihama-Magam road, Central Budgam. The blast was so powerful the bullet-proof gypsy was ripped apart and blew occupants into pieces. The news of his assassination spread rapidly, the government of

Jammu Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi Ri ...

and Kashmir imposed curfew and section 144 crpc still hundreds and thousands joined his funeral including mainstream and majority of separatist leaders . During his funeral Kashmiri

pandit A Pandit ( sa, पण्डित, paṇḍit; hi, पंडित; also spelled Pundit, pronounced ; abbreviated Pt.) is a man with specialised knowledge or a teacher of any field of knowledge whether it is shashtra (Holy Books) or shastra (Wea ...

women of Budgam were heard crying "''Bayo asi kus kari raech wain''" meaning "Brother who will protect us now." Shaheed Aga Syed Mehdi was laid to rest at Sarkaar's Shrine Budgam or

Aga Sahib Shrine Aga Sahib Shrine or Ziyarat e Sarkaar or Aga Mehdi Shrine is a religious place of Kashmiri Muslims located at Budgam. In this shrine there are many religious personalities buried include Ayatullah-ul- Uzma Aga Syed Mehdi Al-Mosvi Al-Safvi Al-Najaf ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aga Syed Mehdi, Shaheed 1959 births 2000 deaths People from Budgam district Kashmiri people