Jammu:
Sleepless nights for the father of J&K teenager, Faizan are finally over. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted that the boy will be released by today or tomorrow. This, after various human right groups questioned his detention under the much debated Public Safety Act (PSA).
However, it wasn't an easy journey for Faizan's father, Mohammad Rafique.
A fruit vendor, he travelled all the way from Anantnag to Jammu to meet Faizan, who has been in jail for over 2 months now.
Faizan Rafique was arrested under the controversial Public Safety Act for his alleged involvement in last year's civilian unrest in the Valley.
Faizan's birth certificate shows he's 14-years-old but a report by the Anantnag district magistrate says he's 27.
"I got married 16 years ago, can even show my nikahnama as proof, Faizan was born on 18th May, 1996. He is 14-and-a-half-years-old," Says Faizan's father.
Faizan's arrest has been widely criticised by rights groups, the civil society and even some political parties after which the jail authorities carried out his age determination test.
The forensic report says Faizan is between 17 & 18.
"We felt there was adequate reason that he should be detained; otherwise why would have we detained him," says S M Sahai, IGP, Kashmir.
However, all this would mean little to Faiyaz's brother Ifas, who's all alone at home, with his parents busy securing Faizan's release.
He hasn't been to school for many days and is instead working as a vendor to keep the kitchen going. He insists Faizan has been wrongly detained and pleads for his early release.
"He can't bear the heat since he has undergone a surgery in his head. He is asking for his release," says Ifas Rafiq.
After Amnesty International called for his release and a FreeFaizan campaign on Twitter, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted saying, "I've issued the orders on Friday, papers are being processed. So by Monday or Tuesday, he'll be out."
The arrest of Faizan Rafiq and the controversy surrounding his age has raised the larger issue of misuse of Public Safety Act by the administration and absence of any juvenile home in J&K.
Minors are often arrested and lodged in jails with hardened criminals. Faizan's family here hopes that their ordeal will end soon.