Under suspicion for having planted a landmine, Halima's son Bilal was allegedly arrested by security forces in 1990. That was the last time locals saw him. But Halima made it her life's mission to find out the truth. Everyday, she would set out early in the morning to meet people, officials, and even visit jails in search of Bilal.

Today, her small house at Padshahi Bagh Colony lies locked and abandoned. Inside, its walls are riddled with bullet marks and the floor is still stained with blood. If it was the security forces who took away her eldest son last time, it's the militants this time.

Among those who are left in the family are Halima's husband, who works as a porter with an LPG distributor; Wahida, her eldest daughter nowlying in hospital as a result of last week's shooting; Taslima, her youngest daughter who studies in Class 11, and Bilal's son and daughter.

The attackers came around 7 pm when Halima and Shakeel were out. Wahida opened the door to the unannounced ``guests''. One was a Kashmiri-speaking man who did not enter the house, recalls Taslima. They all wore phirans, sported beards and did not make any effort to hide their weapons. Probably foreign mercenaries, the men had chosen Halima's house -- the last one in the colony -- as a safe haven.

When Halima and Shakeel returned, ``my mother told them they could leave after meals,'' says Taslima, ``and at the time, they did not seem to mind''.

But then suddenly the men called out for Shakeel. Halima rushed into the room fearing they would harass her son. Within minutes, says Taslima, they heard eight gun shots. ``I hid myself in the chimney. Our whole house was filled with smoke as the killers left shooting at Wahida and seven-year Aliya, Bilal's daughter.''

In a fit of rage, Taslima ran after them, but had to stop as the militants lobbed a grenade at her. Luckily it did not explode. Back in the room, Taslima cannot forget the sight of Halima and Shakeel -- mother and son, both dead.

Wahida is seriously injured, and is in hospital. These days Taslima is always at her bedside. She doesn't talk much, but only tells visitors not to mention the shooting in front of her sister.

``My mother had staked everything for Bilal,'' she says after much coaxing. She had sold her land and whatever little jewellery to raise money for her search.

``She would leave the house in the morning and return only late at night,'' says Ali Mohommad, Halima's brother and neighbour. ``There is hardly an officer, a separatist leader or a visiting dignitary she had not met,'' he says recalling the time he accompanied her to Kot Balwal jail in Jammu to look for Bilal.

``Everyone would tell Halima that her son wasn't alive. But the mother in her refused to believe them. She wouldinsist that she be shown the body,'' says Ali. In fact, everyone knew of Halima's search. ``And when BSF and Army officers visited their home after last week's shooting, they recognised her as `the mother who was looking for her son','' he says.

Sitting in hospital beside Wahida's bed, Taslima remains stoic. Those who know the family say she's like her mother Halima. Very courageous. But Taslima has made up her mind. ``I will never go back to my house. They will come again and kill all of us.'' As for Bilal, there is still no news.