Rafiya Nazir passed her class 12 board exams with very high scores last month. Yesterday, she was among two dozen victims of a terrorist attack in a busy marketplace in Srinagar.
This morning, the 19-year-old promising student succumbed to the multiple injuries she had suffered in the blast.
As the body reached her home at Dargah Hazratbal, hundreds joined to mourn the tragic death and participated in her last rites. Scores of men and women were seen crying and wailing.
Rafiya was shopping with her mother and sister when terrorists lobbed a grenade in the market. CCTV footage of the scene of the attack shows many people falling on the ground and scores running for safety as the grenade goes off.
An elderly man Mohammad Aslam Makhdoomi from downtown Srinagar was killed on the spot and 24 others were injured. Among the injured are women and children.
Rafiya was critically injured and her sister escaped with a minor injury in her leg.
"Rafiya had gone out with her mother and sister for shopping at Lal Chowk. We received a call from the police about the incident. On reaching the hospital, we found her elder sister with an injured leg but didn't see Rafiya because she was being operated upon. This morning, we were informed that she has died," said Sahil, a relative.
Rafiya had secured 93% marks in class 12 J&K Board Exams, results for which were declared last month. She scored 98 marks in three subjects - Chemistry, Biology and Functional English.
Relatives say Rafiya wanted to become a doctor, a dream shattered and a young life cut short in the terror attack on civilians.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet, but that doesn't come as a surprise. In the past when terrorists lobbed grenades at security forces, they would claim responsibility but when it missed the target and hit innocent civilians, they would blame security agencies for the attack.
Police say they are working on multiple leads and also processing CCTV footage to identify the terrorist and track him down.
The police have appealed to the people to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
"In light of the terrorist act of grenade throwing in busy Sunday market near Amira Kadal bridge today evening, all civilians are required to be vigilant and report any suspected activity" tweeted Srinagar Police.
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