MIR EHSAN
Seventy-year-old Ali Mohammad is sure he will meet his son Riyaz Ahmad Tantray one day. He has been looking forward to that day for the last seven years.
His belief has been strengthened after the family was informed recently by a neighbour that Riyaz was lodged in Agra Central jail.
Riyaz Ahmad was the lone bread-winner of the large family. He was allegedly picked up by armymen on August 28, 2000 when he and some of his friends were sitting at his readymade garments shop at the Kupwara general bus-stand. His brother says he was present at the shop when Riyaz was picked up.
"I was sitting beside him in the shop when two armymen approached my brother. They told him that their officer wanted to meet him at a camp," says his brother Mohammad Ameen who now runs the shop.
"My brother boarded the Gypsy van along with the army personnel. We don't know where he was taken," he says adding that Riyaz Ahmad was the lone bread earner of the family. "We have a large family and he was supporting all the brothers, sisters and ailing parents."
His family members claim that Riyaz Ahmad was innocent and never had any affiliation with any militant or political organisation. "I am unable to understand why my brother was picked up," says Ameen adding that after Riyaz Ahmad's disappearance the family scanned jails and security camps for him. "We lodged a missing report with local police."
Officials in Kupwara had also assured the family that police would try to trace Riyaz Ahmad. "Since then, we have been looking expectantly at the police. So far, their search has reached nowhere."
Recently there came "good" news about Riyaz from one of their neighbours, Ghulam Nabi, who sell shawls in Agra. "Our neighbour told us that a former prisoner of Agra Central jail had informed him that Riyaz was lodged in Agra Central jail. He also said that he has been dubbed as a foreign national," says Ameen Tantray.
"The news brought great relief to our family," he says. Without wasting time Riyaz's brother, along with two other relatives, travelled to Agra jail. But to his dismay none of them was allowed to enter the jail compound. "I am not sure whether my brother is in that jail or not. But I think he is alive," says Ameen.
His father believes his son will return. "I don't want to die before I see my son," he says. "I have full faith in the Almighty," says Ali Mohammad.
Along with the assembly member of the area, the entire family last month met Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. "We have been assured by the Chief Minister that he will help trace our son," says Ali Mohammad.
Seventy-year-old Ali Mohammad is sure he will meet his son Riyaz Ahmad Tantray one day. He has been looking forward to that day for the last seven years.
His belief has been strengthened after the family was informed recently by a neighbour that Riyaz was lodged in Agra Central jail.
Riyaz Ahmad was the lone bread-winner of the large family. He was allegedly picked up by armymen on August 28, 2000 when he and some of his friends were sitting at his readymade garments shop at the Kupwara general bus-stand. His brother says he was present at the shop when Riyaz was picked up.
"I was sitting beside him in the shop when two armymen approached my brother. They told him that their officer wanted to meet him at a camp," says his brother Mohammad Ameen who now runs the shop.
"My brother boarded the Gypsy van along with the army personnel. We don't know where he was taken," he says adding that Riyaz Ahmad was the lone bread earner of the family. "We have a large family and he was supporting all the brothers, sisters and ailing parents."
His family members claim that Riyaz Ahmad was innocent and never had any affiliation with any militant or political organisation. "I am unable to understand why my brother was picked up," says Ameen adding that after Riyaz Ahmad's disappearance the family scanned jails and security camps for him. "We lodged a missing report with local police."
Officials in Kupwara had also assured the family that police would try to trace Riyaz Ahmad. "Since then, we have been looking expectantly at the police. So far, their search has reached nowhere."
Recently there came "good" news about Riyaz from one of their neighbours, Ghulam Nabi, who sell shawls in Agra. "Our neighbour told us that a former prisoner of Agra Central jail had informed him that Riyaz was lodged in Agra Central jail. He also said that he has been dubbed as a foreign national," says Ameen Tantray.
"The news brought great relief to our family," he says. Without wasting time Riyaz's brother, along with two other relatives, travelled to Agra jail. But to his dismay none of them was allowed to enter the jail compound. "I am not sure whether my brother is in that jail or not. But I think he is alive," says Ameen.
His father believes his son will return. "I don't want to die before I see my son," he says. "I have full faith in the Almighty," says Ali Mohammad.
Along with the assembly member of the area, the entire family last month met Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. "We have been assured by the Chief Minister that he will help trace our son," says Ali Mohammad.
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