The Hindu : National : Husband missing for 4 years

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Wednesday, Sep 27, 2006
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National

Husband missing for 4 years

Shujaat Bukhari

Jammu and Kashmir woman struggling to support family

WAGAR (Budgam): She has lost all hopes of seeing her husband Mohammad Shafi Lone, who went missing in October 2002. Shakeela (32) is among hundreds of women in similar circumstances — who have failed to trace their husbands and are finding it difficult to support their children.

In this remote village in central Budgam district, Shakeela has nothing to fall back upon and is trying hard to feed her five teenage daughters, the eldest studying in 8th standard. She lives in a joint family, which has more than 14 members, including her father-in-law, who has lost his eyesight.

She said Shafi, a shopkeeper selling readymade garments, had gone to Srinagar to fetch stock. "He was seen by someone in Budgam town that day but after that there is no clue," she said. His brother visited most of the jails in Jammu and Kashmir and many security force camps in the district but could not trace him. "We lodged a complaint with the police but nothing is known even after four years," the brother said showing notices published in local newspapers appealing to people for information.

The family also sought help from the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) chairperson, Parveena Ahangar, who is fighting the case of thousands of disappeared people.

"Her (Shakeela) case has been taken up with the people concerned but there has been no headway" Parveena told The Hindu .

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