Only Kashmir News Desk
SRINAGAR, 01 OCT 2020: Finally after the years, the waves of happiness and joy entered the house of Shakeel Bhat alias “Islamic Rage Boy” on the occasion of his marriage ceremony on Wednesday.
Shakeel Ahmad Bhat who hails from Fatah Kadal area of trouble torn Downtown area of Srinagar city remained under incarceration in and outside the Valley for many years with the reasons of his political activism. Recently, he was released almost after a year from Allahabad jail following his elder brother’s death in Srinagar. As soon as Shakeel arrived in Srinagar, he lost his mother too.
Shakeel Ahmad Bhat has been in photographs on the front pages of many newspapers and has become a cult figure on the Internet. He has been featured in newspapers such as the Times of India, Middle East Times, France 24, and The Sunday Mail. He has been nicknamed Islamic Rage Boy by several bloggers.
The 42-yrs-old Shakeel was often seen participating in demonstrations. Due to his angry look, he is often photographed by journalists. He took part in protests against the Indian Army, Israel, Pope Benedict, Salman Rushdie, and the blasphemous cartoons.
The family sources told Onlykashmir[dot]in, that Shakeel was time and again captured by the government forces, and spent almost 22 years of his life in prison. He claims that he has been detained almost 300 times over the last three decades as such he has been also known as “Jail Bird.”
He was featured in numerous blogs and articles by Christopher Hitchens, Robert Spencer, Kathleen Parker, Michelle Malkin, and others. On various blogs, he was photoshopped as Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler or as an opera singer. His picture has also been printed on T-shirts, posters, mouse-pads, and beer mugs.
On Wednesday, the family conducted a simple but an impressive function at their residence to mark the occasion of Shakeel’s marriage ceremony. Wearing a mild smile on his face in groom attire, Shakeel is hoping for a new dawn of life without being confined into the four walls of jail.
