A VISIT to a jail or a police station is part of her daily routine. For, Haleema Begum is searching for her missing husband.

Abdul Rashid Ganai, ran a shop for a living. He was sleeping when soldiers of 131 battalion of Border Security Force (BSF) barged into their house, says Haleema. "Rashid was tired as he had just returned from Srinagar . We heard a loud noise and saw BSF men coming in. They thrashed him and took him with them," she says. This was nine years ago on June 5, 1998, she says.

"The SHO of Handwara Police Station was accompanying BSF men and he assured us that Rashid would be released after questioning," says Haleema.

"We went to the police station the next day. Police denied they had arrested Rashid and abused us. They even refused to register an FIR. I went to the BSF headquarters to meet higher officials. But they too did not help. We were completely confused and tried to plead with a minister but nothing came of it," she says.

Haleema says she approached Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan, who was a minister then. "But, he did not help," she says.

The family then sought refuge from State Human Rights Commission and got a case registered. "SHRC was very helpful. They listened to our plea. It was on their insistence that police registered a case and an FIR was lodged at the Handwara Police Station," she says.

Haleema has four children. While the younger ones go to school, the eldest, who is a girl, helps her with daily chores. The eldest son, now 17, works as a labourer, says Haleema.

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