“Jise jo karna tha woh toh kar gaye, par humare ghar ka ek jalta hua chiraag bujha kar chale gaye,” said Mohammed Hanif, a BMC employee, remembering his brother in-law, Mastan Qureshi, who was killed in the terrorist attack at the Chhattrapati Shivaji Terminus station on November 26.

Qureshi, 40, a small-time guide who used to attend to tourists from the Gulf region, was hit by two bullets in his chest. He died on the spot.

A native of Kukadgaon in Bheed district, Qureshi came to Mumbai when he was just nine years old, with the hopes of finding a regular source of income. His parents were farmers, but Qureshi wanted to do something different.

From working at a roadside parantha stall in Dongri area, Qureshi worked his way up through several jobs before becoming a guide. He moved to the Bhendi Bazaar area in Mumbai where some of his relatives were staying. This is where he picked up Arabic, which helped him communicate with tourists from the Gulf who visited this area, famous for its food and ittar (perfume).

“Qureshi knew many languages, including Persian, Arabic, Urdu, and a bit of English. Though he could not read or write any of these languages, as he was a primary school dropout, he could speak them fluently,” said Hanif.

Qureshi is survived by his wife, Shahida, 38, and three children — Tausif, 22, Sohail, 20 and Sana, 18. The elder two, both school dropouts, work as mechanics at a private BMS contract garage. His daughter, Sana, is married.

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