Family of ISIS' India head Mudabbir Shaikh lets knock on door go unanswered

NEW DELHI: It’s been a week since 33-year-old Mudabbir Shaikh was arrested in the dead of the night by the National Investigation Agency ( NIA) and the Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad ( ATS ).

Neighbours and those who know him still find it hard to believe their allegation that Shaikh was the head of ISIS in India. His wife is said to have returned to their Mumbra apartment with their two daughters from her father Ahmed Miyan Ghare’s home in the nearby Kauser Baug housing society. However, no one answered the door when we rang the bell on Monday. Neighbours said the family had returned two days before.

“They don’t bother us and we don’t bother them. We didn’t inquire as to whether he is innocent or not. They used to keep to themselves and we respect their decision,” said one of the neighbours at the Reshma apartment complex.

Shaikh used to keep to himself. “He didn’t even smile at us or exchange glances. He has lived here for five years now, but as a neighbour he didn’t exchange pleasantries. It felt quite odd but looking back it’s good that there was no interaction with him and us, otherwise today we would have the ATS knocking on our doors,” said the neighbour. The Thane suburb of Mumbra is a Muslimdominated locality.

The neighbour’s fear is not without substance. ZA Ansari, the secretary of the Reshma housing society, said that on Friday he was called for questioning by ATS officials.

“They found my number on his phone, so they called me to question about our interactions. I told them that I am the secretary of the society and he used to speak to me about repairs and maintenance of his flat,” said Ansari. Ansari declined to elaborate. “We can’t speculate about his behaviour. I didn’t find anything odd in his behaviour, though I don’t know whether he was involved or not.” Shaikh’s father in law was not at home. A woman who answered the doorbell said she was his business partner and didn’t know where Ghare was.

On the phone, an agitated Ghare refused to meet us. “We have already been harassed enough, please spare us. We have endured enough,” he said. When asked whether he knew of his son in law’s activities, Ghare said: “If I would have known, would I have married my daughter to him and ruined her life this way. I or my daughter knew nothing of what he was doing.”