Mir Ehsan
He loved cricket and was very good at it. Considered a genius among contemporaries, Sajjad Majid would have made a mark in sports, all his friends believed. But that did not happen. His family and friends have not seen him for 17 years. Their belief, that he would return, too has faded.
On March 13, 1990, Sajjad, along with some of his friends, left for Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) allegedly for training. The group was intercepted by troops near the Line of Control in Gulmarg. Some of the members of the group lost their lives. Sajjad's family was told by some top officials that Sajjad was not among the dead. The information gave strong belief to the family that he had survived the encounter.
Thereafter began the search for Sajjad not only in the state but also outside. In the search for his son, Abdul Majid left no stone unturned and met all senior officials in the state administration. "To know my son's whereabouts, I met the then Governor Girish Saxena," recalls his father. "The Governor gave me a kind hearing and assured our family of full help in tracing our son."
On the Governor's instructions, Sajjad's father also met the then J-K Director General of Police. "The DGP showed me an album containing photographs of all the persons killed in the Gulmarg encounter. Sajjad's photograph was not there," he says. This rekindled hopes and spurred a vigorous search for Sajjad, but all in vain.
"We couldn't locate him (Sajjad) in jails of Kashmir," he says. But the father didn't lose heart. One day, someone told Sajjad's father that his son was lodged in Rajasthan jail. "I left for Rajasthan, met the jail superintendent there and told him about my son," he says and adds that at the jail, officers showed him a long list of prisoners of Kashmiri origin. "But my son was not there."
Majeed wants to know where his son is and what had happened to him. "At least, I want to know whether he is alive or dead," he said. Sajjad's disappearance has affected his health. "After my son's disappearance, I have been keeping unwell and have to get regular medical treatment."
"He was a good cricketer and a good human being," says Fayaz Ahmad, a friend of Sajjad who was his classmate.
"I don't think he will be alive now as 17 years is a long time." But Ahmad has not stopped praying for his return. "He was my childhood friend. He had the ambition to earn fame and name for the family," he says and adds. "Alas, he could not keep his promise."
He loved cricket and was very good at it. Considered a genius among contemporaries, Sajjad Majid would have made a mark in sports, all his friends believed. But that did not happen. His family and friends have not seen him for 17 years. Their belief, that he would return, too has faded.
On March 13, 1990, Sajjad, along with some of his friends, left for Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) allegedly for training. The group was intercepted by troops near the Line of Control in Gulmarg. Some of the members of the group lost their lives. Sajjad's family was told by some top officials that Sajjad was not among the dead. The information gave strong belief to the family that he had survived the encounter.
Thereafter began the search for Sajjad not only in the state but also outside. In the search for his son, Abdul Majid left no stone unturned and met all senior officials in the state administration. "To know my son's whereabouts, I met the then Governor Girish Saxena," recalls his father. "The Governor gave me a kind hearing and assured our family of full help in tracing our son."
On the Governor's instructions, Sajjad's father also met the then J-K Director General of Police. "The DGP showed me an album containing photographs of all the persons killed in the Gulmarg encounter. Sajjad's photograph was not there," he says. This rekindled hopes and spurred a vigorous search for Sajjad, but all in vain.
"We couldn't locate him (Sajjad) in jails of Kashmir," he says. But the father didn't lose heart. One day, someone told Sajjad's father that his son was lodged in Rajasthan jail. "I left for Rajasthan, met the jail superintendent there and told him about my son," he says and adds that at the jail, officers showed him a long list of prisoners of Kashmiri origin. "But my son was not there."
Majeed wants to know where his son is and what had happened to him. "At least, I want to know whether he is alive or dead," he said. Sajjad's disappearance has affected his health. "After my son's disappearance, I have been keeping unwell and have to get regular medical treatment."
"He was a good cricketer and a good human being," says Fayaz Ahmad, a friend of Sajjad who was his classmate.
"I don't think he will be alive now as 17 years is a long time." But Ahmad has not stopped praying for his return. "He was my childhood friend. He had the ambition to earn fame and name for the family," he says and adds. "Alas, he could not keep his promise."
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