Asma Khatoon’s shop in Tripura’s Fatikroy was her source of happiness and comfort. Every day it provided her a reason to shape her life, and every penny earned from it chipped in for her house necessities and children’s education. Asma Khatoon’s life was centered around her shops, with children of the village frolicking around them.
On January 10, 2026, while Asma Khatoon was preparing to open her shop and start her day, she heard that her relative, Musabbir Ali, had been hospitalized. Musabbir Ali was attacked by a mob. Soon after his attack, violence occurred in Fatikroy.
Musabbir Ali was on his way to earn the bread when a mob of people punctuated his way, asked for chanda (donation money) for Bhairab Mela’s pooja, and then launched an unforgettable onslaught on him when he said he would donate when he got money. At the time, when he was asked, he could not afford to donate.
Asma Khatoon and her family members were at the hospital, providing comfort to Musabbir Ali and his family when the news of the violence made rounds. They immediately made their way towards their village, but what they saw disrupted their peace for days.
Asma Khatoon’s shop was looted and set on fire. Her source of income was erased. “Mein Hospital mein thi, mujhe pata chala ki violence aur bahd gaya hai, jab aai toh dekha meri dukaan jali hai, looti gai hai, ghar jalaya gaya, sab khtam kr dia gaya,”
“Humare sath ye insan hua kyu ki hum muslamaan hai, humari surakhsha ke lie koi nhi hai,” she added.
When Asma Khatoon was lamenting her loss, her Muslim neighbors had their share of pain. Along with her shops, several other Muslim residents witnessed their houses, shops, and livelihood burning. The entire area turned black and haunting, with eerie silence sweeping in the lanes.
Khatoon stood before the smouldering remains of her shop. The putrid smell of burnt bamboo hung heavy in the air, suffocating her financial stability.
“Where will we go? Please tell us. At least help us in some way, do something for us,” she said while talking to Miles2Smile.
“Everything we had has been burned. How we manage to eat, only we know. We do not even have money,” she added.
“We are facing injustice. Please do something,” Khatoon said.
Miles2Smile listened to her story, witnessed her atrocities, and provided her a stable source of income. For Miles2Smile, rebuilding Asma Khatoon
The team listened to her story, witnessed her atrocities, and decided that she needed more than just temporary aid. She needed a sustainable source of income.
For Miles2Smile, rebuilding Asma Khatoon’s life became a priority. Instead of offering one-time relief, we decided to set her up again, giving her a source of livelihood to run her family.
