15 years on, daughter waits, holds up wedding for her missing father

Srinagar, August 06, 2009: “I’ll not get married till my father returns. He has promised a grand wedding,” says Ateeqa (30) who is waiting at her desolate house in Haigam in Spore. Her father, Khalil Mohammad Bhat, 50, then, was arrested by Indian Army’s 2 Garhwal regiment fifteen years ago and kept in custody for nearly 28 days. Later, according to the family, he went missing in the custody.

Ateeqa while talking to Press Bureau of India said “during siege and search operation Indian Army arrested many people including my father and a day later, all the arrestees were released. However, my father was kept in custody on fake charges.”

She said that the family was allowed to meet the detained head of the family thrice during his detention at Hyderbeg Army camp. Her father was implicated on fake charges. “When we went to the camp for the fourth time, we were told by an Army officer that my father has been released and handed over to the police. Our joy knew no bounds. We rushed to the police station to receive him,” Ateeqa added. On reaching police station an officer, felicitated the family claiming Bhat has been released by the Indian Army. “Rush home and meet your father, she quoted the police officer as saying.

Till late night, the family was steering at the door, hoping Bhat will step in any moment. As the clock approached the midnight stroke,  the excitement gradually faded off giving rise to apprehensions. “We couldn’t sleep throughout the night. Even with eyes wide open, I experienced nightmares,” Ateeqa said, before bursting into tears. Next morning, the family again visited the police station only to receive bashing from the police officer. “The SHO told us again that my father has been released and police was not responsible if he reaches home or not,” she adds.

The family again visited the Army camp where an Army officer reassured them that Bhat has been released after legal formalities. “We were stunned to see the release documents of my father duly signed by the police, during our visit to the camp.” Fearing mischief by the police, Ateeqa said, they again approached police station Pattan, where the officer told them that Bhat was not in police custody. “If you don’t leave police station at the earliest, I’ll book all of you on false charges,” Ateeqa quoted the police officer as saying. Days passed into months, months passed into years, but Ateeqa’s wait to see her missing father never came to an end.

“I want the police to come up with the truth. If he is alive, they should produce my father before us and if he is dead, then they have to show me his grave,” she adds. (PBI)