The night of 2011 in Dera Ki Gali, Thanamandi, was just like any other—until it wasn’t. It was on this cursed evening that Raja Maroof Khan, a man of honor and kindness, was brutally murdered, his voice silenced forever. His death was not just a personal loss; it was a wound inflicted on an entire community that loved him, respected him, and looked up to him.
Raja Maroof Khan was more than just a cousin to me—he was my friend, my brother, my guide. He had an aura of wisdom and strength, always standing tall with dignity. He was the kind of man who lit up every gathering, whose words carried weight, and whose presence reassured those around him. Thanamandi was his home, and every person in it knew him, respected him, and sought his counsel. He was a man of the people, loved by many, envied by a few.
But envy, jealousy, and betrayal are the poisons of this world. And that night, those poisons took his life. His murder was not just a crime; it was a cruel injustice. The perpetrators walked free, their hands stained with his blood, while his family—his parents, his wife, and his newborn son—were left to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives.
His son was only two months old when he was taken from us. Now, he is a young boy, growing up with only stories and pictures of the father he never got to know. How do you explain to a child that his father was stolen from him? That justice never came? That the world moved on while his family was left frozen in grief?
His elderly parents, once full of life, now live in a house that feels emptier with each passing year. Ramadan, Eid, family gatherings—every occasion is a reminder of his absence. His chair at the table remains empty. His laughter no longer echoes through the halls. The warmth he brought is now replaced with an unshakable sadness.
We waited for justice. We believed in the system. But justice never arrived. His killers roam free, untouched by the weight of their sins. The silence of the authorities speaks louder than words, a cruel reminder that sometimes, power and influence outweigh the truth.
But there is a justice greater than this world. Allah sees all, and His justice never fails. We hold onto this faith, knowing that one day, true justice will be served—not in human courts, but in the divine.
Raja Maroof Khan, your memory will never fade. You are in our prayers, in our hearts, and in the stories we tell. Your legacy lives on, and though you were taken from us, you will never be forgotten.
May Allah grant you the highest place in Jannah
#JusticeForRajaMaroofKhan #GoneButNeverForgotten #ForeverInOurHearts
Author: therajouritimes
Lakkar Mandi Janipur Jammu
