Ali Mardan Khan was 65 when he disappeared from the custody of security forces. After 17 years, his family has lost hope that he will return.

Khan, a resident of Village Boneyar, was spending his post-retirement days by helping out villagers with social activities. He had retired after a lengthy stint with Government Cooperative Services.

On May 9, 1990, Khan was picked up allegedly by security force personnel from near his house. "I heard from neighbours that my brother was picked by the troops," says his cousin Ghulam Mohammad Khan. "Villagers said they saw my brother being taken away by the troops. But they could not recognise the personnel."

Soon after Khan went missing, family members began their search to trace him.

"We approached all nearby army camps and even met some officers but no one acknowledged that he had been arrested," says Ghulam Mohammad. "We also contacted Uri police station and other security agencies. But all in vain," he says.

Initially, neighbours and village elders advised the family to wait for Khan to come back and that no harm would come to him.

"Everybody was hopeful that he would be released...Our search for him took Khan took us to all the police stations and security force camps. But, it was of no use," says Ghulam Mohammad.

Relatives then filed a case in court but there is still no information on Khan's whereabouts.

Everyone in the village, including Khan's family, now believe that he was killed in custody.