A devoted mother

Subaida was divorced by her husband, a man based in Malappuram, 23 years ago when Ashiq was barely two years old. She raised Ashiq with the money she earned after helping in cooking for weddings and other occasions.

“After Plus Two, Ashiq enrolled in automobile engineering. That was when his drug use began. He constantly caused trouble at home demanding money, even setting fire to household items and the prayer mat,” said Shakeela, his aunt.

The relatives said Subaida once went to her ex-husband’s house with Ashiq and asked him to take the youth under his care. However, he refused saying he was denied Ashiq’s custody when the latter was a child and could not accept him now.

They said Subaida spent more than Rs 5 lakh on her son’s treatment at de-addiction centres in Bengaluru. Ashiq had returned home recently after 10 months of treatment.

Ashiq occasionally went to work as a helper or daily wage worker. Before they shifted to Shakeela’s house two months ago, the mother and son stayed at the house of Nafisa, one of Subaida’s sister.

However, the family had expressed discomfort in accommodating Ashiq due to his drug addiction.