14 yrs on, children await death certificate

DISAPPEARANCE OF BARAMULLA
MAN

Baramulla: Despite passing of 14 years, a family of seven children in Baramulla, whose father disappeared ‘mysteriously’, is yet to receive his death certificate due to the alleged official apathy.
According to the law, a person who is continuously missing for seven consecutive years is declared dead.
The aggrieved family told Greater Kashmir
that their father, Muhammad Amin Khan son of Ali Muhammad Khan of Binner Kawdara, Baramulla, who was working as a Chowkidar in the main town of the district went missing on April 23, 1990 in ‘mysterious circumstances.’ “After the disappearance, my mother was left with seven children including two daughters and five sons and suffered immense hardships due to the lack of financial assistance,” Dilshada, daughter of Muhammad Amin, told Greater Kashmir adding that her father was the sole bread earner for the family when the incident happened.
Dilshad said the family had applied for the death certificate, but despite moving from pillar to post, the same wasn’t provided till date. “My mother passed away, three years after the unfortunate incident, leaving the responsibility of the kids to me and my uncle,” Dilshada said adding that she (mother) couldn’t bear the pain of separation and wasn’t able to sustain the family.
The verification carried out by the Senior Superintendent of Police Baramulla in the case vide no R-HQR/ 8-277 Dated 13-2-2008 reads: “During the investigation, it surfaced that on 23-4-1990, Muhammad Amin got missing from Baramulla, where he was working as Chowkidar. Since then his whereabouts are not known. Further there is nothing adverse against him.” According to the family, they also approached State Human Rights Commission who in turn sought the case details from the Deputy Commissioner. The DC in response to the SHRC communiqué vide his letter no DCB/ SHRC/58/07 Dated 15-10-09, wrote that the “Matter was taken up with the verifying agencies i.e, Army, CID, Police and Tehsildar Baramulla for report in terms of Govt. order No 1073 GAD of 1990, the army 19 inf. Division C/0 56 APO, Senior Superintendent of Police Baramulla and Tehsildar Baramulla has furnished their report, while as report from the ADGP CID, is awaited.”. Muhammad Azeem Khan, the brother of missing person who is following the case told Greater Kashmir that “the report from the ADGP was received by the district authorities and the file was pending in the Deputy Commissioner’s office. It is indifferent attitude of the concerned that we are not being provided the death certificate.” “Due to the indifferent attitude of the authorities, the family is suffering immensely as they have not availed any benefit of the SRO-43,” Azeem said adding
“We were told that it is mandatory for the authorities to provide the death certificate after seven years of disappearance of a person, but in our case the law seems nowhere,” said Rubeena another daughter of Muhammad Amin.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla said, “I will look into the matter.”

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