WHEN Sonnullah Wani disappeared under mysterious circumstances, his elder son Fayaz Ahmad Wani was young. Over these years Ahmad has been appointed at the same place in the Food and Supplies department where is father was16-years-ago.

Living in a remote Aloosa village in Kupwara, the Wani family has no hope of Sonnullah being alive. "My father is dead for me," said Wani's elder son Fayaz Ahmad who was employed on compensate grounds at his father's place. "I know that 16 years is a long time. But, if our father would return it would be a miracle," he says. "And we all are praying for this miracle."

Ahmad was unable to recollect the exact details about his father's disappearance but later he came to know from relatives. "My father was an innocent and became victim of some unknown conspiracy," he said adding that his family had to pass through serious problems.

While narrating about his father who was 45 at the time of his disappearance in April 1991, Ahmad said his father was on his way to work when he disappeared near Zirhama. He was posted as a watch man in the Food and Supplies department.

After Sonnullah's mysterious disappearance, the family and his officers began unending search to trace him. "My relatives as well as my father's colleagues left no stone unturned to trace him," he said adding that all their efforts proved futile.

Even some people told that Sonullah was arrested by 14 Raj Rifles while their troops were moving in the area. But the army denied. "Our relatives met senior army officials of the unit but they denied their involvement," says Ahmad. But, the family didn't file any case or reported the matter with any human rights group for the reasons best know to them. But they accepted compensation from the state government and a job as well. "We are not sure who had picked my father so how can we blame anybody," says Ahmad. "Yes we still want to know for what reason our father got disappeared."