Srinagar, Aug 6: It’s a tale of search and pain. Raja Begum, 50, is looking for her son who she alleged was picked up by police a month ago from south Kashmir’s Islamabad (Anantnag) town.
 Begum said her son, Ali Muhammad Sheikh, 22, was picked up by the policemen near the General Bus Stand before her eyes. “I begged before the cops to let me know why they were arresting my son, but my pleas fell into deaf ears,” she said.      “Policemen belonged to Saddar Police Station. From that day I have been regularly visiting the police station to ascertain what happened to my son. Whenever I visit they deny that they have picked my son,” she said. 
 Begum said her son Ali left studies in the midway to support the family by taking up a job of a laborer after his father passed away.
 She apprehends that the he may have undergone severe torture and that is why police are prolonging his detention.
 “After making repeated rounds of Saddar police station, some policemen demanded Rs 10, 000 from me to release my son,” she said. “I am really confused now. Officially they don’t agree my son is in their custody while as in private they are demanding a bribe”
 “I want my son back,” she screamed as tears rolled down.
 However, sources said that Ali’s elder brother, Bashir Ahmad Sheikh, who lives separately with his family, is wanted in some cases and is evading arrest. “Police  have arrested his brother (Ali) to pressurize him (Bashir),” they added.
 A lawyer in the district court said that they have moved an application to the concerned Station House Officer to seek the reason of Ali’s detention.
 “If he is involved in any case he should have been sent to the police remand and we could have applied for the bail, but police are denying that they have arrested him,” the lawyer said.
 He said they have urged the State Human Rights Council to take the cognizance of the matter. “We have moved an application there and asked them to summon the DIG, SSP, SHO (Saddar) and DO Bus stand police station to cite the reason of his illegal detention,” the lawyer said.
 He said that on Friday Ali’s mother had spotted her son Ali in Islamabad Police station.
 “She has given her clothes and food. She has gone there,” the laywer said. “Later we moved an application in  Munsif Court. The Court instructed the concerned police station to give the report, but police again denied arresting him.”
 When contacted Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Islamabad (Anantnag), RK Jalla said he was not aware of the subject. “I will verify what has happened. Then I will comment on the issue,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 6 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 6 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 7 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST