Daijiworld Media Network
Hyderabad, Sep 17: Soon after news broke out about former cricketer-turned-politician Mohammed Azharuddin’s son Mohammed Ayazuddin’s death on Friday September 16, family and friends gathered at the Apollo hospital here, where he was being treated. There was chaos at the hospital as people from all across the city came pouring in to offer their condolences.
As soon as the crowd began gathering outside the hospital, arrangements were made to move Ayaz’s body to Azhar's residence at Solitarie Banjara apartments on Road No 10, Banjara Hills from the rear exit of the hospital.
19-year-old Ayaz was laid to rest on Friday evening at a graveyard in Santosh Nagar after 'Namaz-e-Janaza' at the Mecca Masjid in the old city. Azharuddin and his elder son Asaduddin lifted the body for the final journey. Hundreds of mourners including Azharuddin's relatives, friends and eminent personalities of the city joined the burial procession.
Unable to control his grief Azharuddin finally burst into tears as the body was placed on a DCM Toyota. Even though he maintained a grim expression while interacting with the VIPs, Azhar broke down everytime a close relative spoke to him and all he could manage to say was “It is difficult but we have to face it.” Even in the hour of tragedy, he made it a point to personally acknowledge the presence and condolences of all those who turned up.
Chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, Mayor Karthika Reddy, the Alam Khan family, Jwala Gutta's mom and sister Insi, actor Rajashekhar , the Komatireddy brothers, Greater Hyderabad Mayor Banda Karthika Reddy,Tollywood couple Dr Rajasekhar and Jeevitha, Nizamabad MP Madhu Yakshi, cricketers like Arshad Ayub, Faiyaz Baig and Kanwaljit Singh, were present to lend their support to Azhar.
Manoj Mittal, who was the coach of the Hyderabad under-16 team when Ayazuddin was selected as a third off spinner, said that it was unfortunate they could not play him in the final XI.Speaking about Ayaz, he said, "Shy and introvert. While Ayaz would wait for instructions, Asaduddin would ask when he would go for batting but he never complained. He was a decent off-spinner. The most important thing was he was very quiet like his father in his younger days," said Mittal.
Ayazuddin's coach, John Sanjay, expressed his grief saying, "We lost a very promising cricketer. He was very disciplined, a talented batsman and used to play like his father.”
Ayazuddin passed away at 11:51 am due to hypoxic encephalopathy, six days after his sports bike skidded on the outer ring road. Ayazuddin's cousin, Ajmal-ur-Rahman (16), who was pillion riding with him, died a couple of hours after they were taken to hospital.
Among those who were present at the hospital when the formalities were being completed included Azhar's father, former wife Naureen, second wife Sangeeta.
Ayazuddin was a second-year BCom student at St Mary's College.