12th class student joins Jaish outfit
Anantnag: Days after top Jaish-e-Muhammad militants were killed in Pulwama encounter, a 12th class student from Marhama village of Sangam area in Bijbehara Tehsil of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district has joined the outfit.
Hafiz Sajad Maqbool Bhat, son of Mohammad Maqbool Bhat of Bagh Mohalla Marhama according to his family has left home four days before without revealing anything to them.
“We searched for him everywhere but couldn’t find him and same day evening his house was raided and his father Mohammad Maqbool was arrested as he is affiliated to Jamat-i-Islami,” the family said.
They however, said during the raid, a cop enquired them about Sajad and said they had inputs that he had joined militant ranks.
“Today his photograph brandishing a gun has went viral and we all are in shock as we were not expecting this step from him, a relative of Sajad said.
According to the photograph that went viral, Sajad has been given code name ‘Afzal Guru’ and has joined Fidayeen squad of Jaish-e-Mohammad.
He passed 11th class examination recently and was now studying in 12th class at Higher Secondary School Marhama, said one of his friends, adding that he has also memorized whole holy Quran (Hafiz-e-Quran) from Jamia Siraj-ul-uloom Imam Sahib Shopian three years ago, he said.
He was never arrested before nor showed any inclination towards militancy ever, he said.
Belonging to a middle class family, Sajad’s father is a government employee in Public Health Engineering (PHE) department. Sajad has one younger brother.
The militant group Sajad has joined is globally being discussed after it claimed the responsibility of Lethpora attack that left 49 CRPF men dead and several others wounded.
However, in last seven days, forces have killed nine JeM militants in separate encounters.
On 24th Feb, three militants including two non locals and one local identified as Raqeeb from Shinganpora Kulgam were killed in an encounter in Turipora village of Kulgam district.
On 22 Feb, three militants were killed in a day long gunfight in Warpora area Sopore in Northern Kashmir.
On 18th Feb, three militants including two non locals and one local militant were killed in Pinglen village of Pulwama district. Militants killed in Pinglen according to police were masterminds of Lethpora attack. The encounter in Pinglen has also led to the killing of five forces personnel.
Jahangeer Ganaie
