Srinagar: Junaid Sehrai, son of new Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chief Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai who replaced SAS Geelani, has reportedly joined Hizbul Mujahideen.
The picture of the 26-year-old wearing a skull cap and brandishing an AK-47 has gone viral on social media.
An MBA pass out, Junaid went missing from his Srinagar home few days back. His family lodged a missing report at with the police on Saturday afternoon.
His family and relatives were aghast when told that he had joined Hizbul Mujahideen and his photograph had gone viral.
Ashraf Sehrai could not be contacted for a statement.
Family sources said Junaid didn’t return home after the Friday prayers. They enquired about him from friends and relatives but to no avail. Finally, on his brother approached the concerned police station and filed a missing report there.
Soon after, his picture started popping up on social media announcing he joined Hizbul Mujahideen on March 24 under an alias of Amaar Bhai.
A police officer said they are ascertaining details and will not jump the gun. "What if the picture is morphed or someone has played a prank. We have ways to verify whether he has joined militants. As of now we have family version that he is missing," he said.
S P Vaid, J&K Police DG, told media that he expects Ashraf will call back his son and others to return home.
Ashraf was on March 19 appointed chairman of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) Jammu and Kashmir, replacing Syed Ali Shah Geelani who held the post for 15 years.
Hours after Junaid's picture went viral, another still of son of a policeman started showing up on the Facebook. Within minutes, it became viral.
Aabid Maqbool Bhat, son of head constable Mohammad Maqbool and resident of Khangund, Tral, was seen holding two rifles. Aabid, in the image has hinted at signing for Jaish-e-Mohammad with a code name of ‘Umar Bhai’.
The development follows after two youth Bilal Ahmad Shah and Manan Wani, a Ph.D scholar, also joined militancy.
Police report suggest more than 150 local boys have joined militancy in the last three years. Though more than 130 militants were killed in army's 'Operation All Out' launched after the killing of popular Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani, the recruitment to militancy has not stopped.
Though some families have been able to persuade to their sons to shun violence and return, majority have not heeded the request.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had indicated early this year that her government would reward police officers if they brought the youth back to mainstream.
Vaid too has been making repeated appeals to the youth to return home and be with their families.
“I appeal the families of Junaid and other youth who have joined militant ranks to persuade their kids to give up the path of violence and return to their families,” he told local agency GNS.
Asked about his reaction over Aabid joining the militancy, the DGP said he urges the family to request their son to return back.
“I have not seen the picture but in case he has joined militant ranks, I request his family also to urge their son to return,” Vaid said.
Comments
0 comment