Inam ul Haq
Pursuing PhD after getting his Masters degree in commerce from Aligarh Muslim University, Syed Basharat Ahmad was on a month's visit to his home in Batamaloo, when he disappeared. In a few days he was to return to submit a synopsis for his PhD.
But before that, Basharat was asked by his father to go to Sopore on a business errand. In Sopore, while Basharat was riding a tonga (horse cart), he was picked up by the 50 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), according to four others who were picked up along with Basharat. Basharat, along with neighbours Shabir Ahmad Mir and Ghulam Mohiudin, was arrested on October 12, 1990. Two tonga drivers were also held.
After a few days, all except Basharat were released, says Basharat's mother Haleema Shah, adding that he was carrying Rs 2.35 lakh with him when he was arrested.
"We got to know (of the arrest) six days later," says Haleema. "We rushed to Sopore and went to Doabgah CRPF camp. They denied having arrested him. We searched for him in every camp."
They went to every police official and bureaucrat for help. "In spite of the four arrested along with him giving eyewitness accounts, CRPF denied having held Basharat," says his mother. "My husband and I went to all higher-ups. But nobody could ascertain my son's whereabouts".
There was a ray of hope in 1996 when a person who had gone to visit his arrested brother in Kot Bhalwal Jail told them that Basharat was lodged in that jail. "We immediately rushed to Kot Bhalwal, only to be told that Basharat wasn't there," Haleema says adding that afterwards they went to Tihar and Jodhpur jails too in search of Basharat.
His father Syed Mohammad Amin filed a habeas corpus writ. On High Court orders, SHO Sopore was asked to file an FIR and the IGP and DIG of police told to disclose the ground of Basharat's arrest. According Haleema, the High Court, after examining the four witnesses arrested along with Basharat, told the SHO concerned to register a case. The SHO did not arrest anybody in connection with the matter. The CRPF also constituted a court of inquiry. The results of the inquiry were yet to be known, adds Haleema.
For the last one year, Haleema, who is a retired schoolteacher, has been battling it alone. "My husband died last year. The last word he uttered was 'Basharat'. Now I have to go to court and other places alone," says the 62-year-old Haleema.
Pointing at a photograph, Haleema adds, "This is my son. Maybe he was arrested as he was sporting a beard. I hope he is somewhere in a jail. I am waiting for his return. He will definitely return."
Pursuing PhD after getting his Masters degree in commerce from Aligarh Muslim University, Syed Basharat Ahmad was on a month's visit to his home in Batamaloo, when he disappeared. In a few days he was to return to submit a synopsis for his PhD.
But before that, Basharat was asked by his father to go to Sopore on a business errand. In Sopore, while Basharat was riding a tonga (horse cart), he was picked up by the 50 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), according to four others who were picked up along with Basharat. Basharat, along with neighbours Shabir Ahmad Mir and Ghulam Mohiudin, was arrested on October 12, 1990. Two tonga drivers were also held.
After a few days, all except Basharat were released, says Basharat's mother Haleema Shah, adding that he was carrying Rs 2.35 lakh with him when he was arrested.
"We got to know (of the arrest) six days later," says Haleema. "We rushed to Sopore and went to Doabgah CRPF camp. They denied having arrested him. We searched for him in every camp."
They went to every police official and bureaucrat for help. "In spite of the four arrested along with him giving eyewitness accounts, CRPF denied having held Basharat," says his mother. "My husband and I went to all higher-ups. But nobody could ascertain my son's whereabouts".
There was a ray of hope in 1996 when a person who had gone to visit his arrested brother in Kot Bhalwal Jail told them that Basharat was lodged in that jail. "We immediately rushed to Kot Bhalwal, only to be told that Basharat wasn't there," Haleema says adding that afterwards they went to Tihar and Jodhpur jails too in search of Basharat.
His father Syed Mohammad Amin filed a habeas corpus writ. On High Court orders, SHO Sopore was asked to file an FIR and the IGP and DIG of police told to disclose the ground of Basharat's arrest. According Haleema, the High Court, after examining the four witnesses arrested along with Basharat, told the SHO concerned to register a case. The SHO did not arrest anybody in connection with the matter. The CRPF also constituted a court of inquiry. The results of the inquiry were yet to be known, adds Haleema.
For the last one year, Haleema, who is a retired schoolteacher, has been battling it alone. "My husband died last year. The last word he uttered was 'Basharat'. Now I have to go to court and other places alone," says the 62-year-old Haleema.
Pointing at a photograph, Haleema adds, "This is my son. Maybe he was arrested as he was sporting a beard. I hope he is somewhere in a jail. I am waiting for his return. He will definitely return."
No comments:
Post a Comment