New Delhi. Today the story is about the kidnapping incident which shook the whole country. Year 1989, the date was 8th December. In this winter season, the heat suddenly increased on this day when a 22-23 year old girl comes out of Lalded Medical Hospital at around 3.30 pm on winter afternoon and gets into the minibus to go home. The minibus had just gone a short distance that suddenly four armed men enter the bus on the way to Nowgam, all of them were associated with the armed Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front. Now the direction of the bus had turned and after going a short distance, the bus stops, where these armed men ask the girl to get down from the bus. This was the time when there was going to be a stir in the whole country. Because this girl was none other than Rubia Saeed, the younger daughter of the then Union Home Minister of the country, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who was kidnapped.
After kidnapping Rubia, the kidnappers called a local newspaper and informed about the incident. Then the editor of the newspaper conveyed the information about this abduction to the Home Minister and the Central Government. After this news, there was a sensation in the political corridors and the then Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah, who went to London, also had to come to Delhi from London. Soon after getting information about this incident, many top officials of the Indian Intelligence Agency reached Srinagar and the investigation of the whole matter started.
What did you ask for in return for kidnapping?
In the case of the kidnapping of Rubia Saeed, there was a demand for the release of 5 dreaded terrorists lodged in Indian jail, not lakhs of crores of rupees in ransom. These terrorists included names like Ghulam Nabi Bhat, Mohammad Altaf, Noor Mohammad Kalwal, Javid Zargar and Abdul Hameed Sheikh. Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah rejected this demand outright but when he was afraid of sacking the government, he agreed.
Father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed became the Home Minister 6 days ago
Let us tell you that at this time there was a government of VP Singh at the center and that too was formed only 6 days ago. In fact, after the death of Rajiv Gandhi, on 2 December 1989, VP Singh was made the Prime Minister of India. Along with this, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was appointed as the Union Home Minister of India. Six days later, on 8 December 1989, the JKLF kidnapped Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s daughter Rubiya.
How was the release?
It is said that all the channels of communication with the kidnappers were opened. During that time, Motilal Butt, who was a judge of the Allahabad High Court, tried to get Rubia free by dealing directly with the terrorists. At the same time, Union Ministers Inder Kumar Gujral, Arif Mohammad and George Fernandes assisted him in this work. The kidnapping took place on the 8th but 5 days passed after the settlement. Finally, on December 13, 1989, the government released 5 of their terrorists from the jail, fulfilling the demand of JKLF, and a few hours later, Rubia was taken to the house of Justice Motilal Bhatt in Sonwar. After this Rubia came to Delhi the same night by plane. On the safe return of Rubia, Union Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said that as a father, he is happy but as a leader it should not have gone wrong.
Where is Rubia Saeed now?
Let us tell you that Rubia Saeed now lives with her husband and two sons at Tarapur Avenue in Harrington Road, Chennai. Rubia’s husband Sharif Ahmed runs an automobile showroom.
There is 24 hours security in Rubia’s house
Rubia Sayeed and her family have been given security from the Tamil Nadu Special Armed Forces Unit. Outside Rubiya’s house, five soldiers stand guard for 24 hours. The security of Rubia’s house is so tight that even the milker and the sweeper are not allowed to go beyond a particular place. Rubia talks to her neighbors, but she also doesn’t know much about them.