Mothers waits sons return from 14 years

Srinagar: Old age has turned her weak but with the hope that her son may return, she (Muglee) sits at the window, looking out at the door to get the glance of his son. When she hears voice similar to her son, she gets thrilled in excitement but it remains only for a short time.

She has still hope that her son would come one day, despite 14 years has  passed, since then, her son was picked up by the security forces and has become an epitome of the struggle of his family members.

Fourteen years ago, when Ashiq Hussain Malik of Peer Bagh Srinagar was picked up by the 20 Grenade Army from his residence, since then, he never returned home again and (Muglee) has been craving to see his son.

Narrating that fateful night, which used to be Ashiq's last night at home,  Mohammad Kamal Malik, elder brother of Ashiq Hussain, told Agence India Press that, "On 23rd,  24th intervening night of May 1997,  clocks were striking to 11pm, Army persons climbed over the gate and barged into our house and called him (Ashiq) out by his name."

“When he (Ashiq) came out, he was wearing undershirt and trouser. They (Army persons) told him to show them the house of Ghulam Qadir Bhat, a local resident of our locality. But they put him in an Army vehicle and took away," shares Kamal.

Kamal claims that they went to the local police station Humhama, Budgam to registered an FIR but the case was registered in an ordinary note book.

Ghulam Qader Bhat, a local resident was also picked by same army company that night, after five days he was released outside his house at 9pm.
" On hearing the news about Bhat's release, our all family members went outside to find him (Ashiq), but we could not find him anywhere in our locality,” says Kamaal in a dejected voice.

While sharing his woeful tale, Ghulam Qader Bhat, said, “When Army picked him (Ashiq)  from his house, I was already in the same vehicle, they took us together to 20 Grenade Army camp Zainakote HMT Srinagar. We were separated in the camp but at the time of serving meals, they opened our handcuffs. I looked at Ashiq Hussain who was badly tortured and his skin was burnt. On the fifth day, when I saw him last time he was wearing army clothes."

"I thought they will release him. I told him to convey my family that I am in 20 Grende army camp. Then, they took him in a vehicle, after half an hour they took me in another vehicle and released me outside my house," says Bhat.

 The family member of Ashiq claims that, they went to 20 Grande army camp to know the whereabouts of Ashiq, but ' they (Army persons) did not allow us to enter inside the camp. Even they refused that they have picked him with Bhat.'

The family members had also approached to Sayeed Ali Shah Geelani, the local MLA and Ali Mohammad Sagar, Home Minister at that time to know the whereabouts of Ashiq, but to no avail.

  "Then we filed a case in the J&K Human Rights Commission Srinagar and filed suit in the Srinagar Wing of High Court. They asked us for FIR copies, when we went to the local police station for an FIR copies, they refused that any FIR has been registered in the station,"  shares Kaleem, family's woeful tail, how much they endeavored to trace the Ashiq.

By adding he said, "The Human Rights Commission asked to present eye witnesses and Honorable High Court referred case to the Budgam Lower Court to listen eye witnesses. We presented eye witnesses including Bhat and then Lower Court Budgam sent report to the Srinagar High Court on behalf of eye witnesses."

On the orders of the Honorable High Court, Police has registered an FIR on February 03, bearing No 18/2005 under section 342,365 P/S Budgam.
"One day Badgam police said that he was jailed in army camp Solina near Silk factory Srinagar and on the next day, police refused that.  We went to Solina Army camp to inquire about Ashiq, but they refused regarding any information about Ashiq," says Kaleem , while agony vividly reflects from his face.

Thereafter, the whole army company was shifted and camp was lifted.  "We went to search him outside the state and even went almost too every jail of India but no one accepted my younger brother was ever arrested,” says Malik.

“Later Human Rights Commission offered us compensation and closed the case but we refused the offer because we cannot sell our brother for few pennies,” he asserts.

Since then, the family is yet to know the whereabouts of Ashiq and are waiting for justice with a silver-lining. While, everyday, she (Muglee) sits at the window, looking out at the door to get the glance of her son, with the hope that Ashiq would return home one day.