Alarm: 11 youth reported missing across South Kashmir during April
Shopian/Pulwama: As south Kashmir is all set to brace up for a date with democracy, youth across the restive region continue to take to arms with 11 youth reported missing this month alone.
Reports suggest that the missing youth from Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts have joined the militant ranks with home coming calls from family and friends hardly making a difference.
The missing youth have been identified as Tahir Ahmad Bhat resident of Malangpora Pulwama, Azad Khanday resident of Bamnoo Pulwama, Sahil Abdullah resident of Chakoora Pulwama, Reyaz Ahmad Shah resident of Gulbagh Tral, Rayees Dar resident of Zovastan Tral, Faizan Hamid resident of Medoora Tral, Imtiyaz Ahmad Shah resident of Ratsuna Tral, Shakeel Ahmad Dar resident of Tokroo Shopian, Shahid Sadiq Malik resident of Khul D H Pora Kulgam,Iirfan Ahmad Bhat resident of Pooniwah Kulgam and Aaqib Ahmad resident of Redwani Kulgam.
Tahir Ahmad Bhat son of Mohammad Shaban Bhat resident of Malangpora Pulwama according to his family went missing in first week of the ongoing month April and never returned back.
Few days after he went missing his photograph while wielding a gun went viral on social media, they said.
Local sources said that he was arrested by forces some months back and his beard was forcibly shaved off.
He after passing his class 10th examination was working as a tipper driver, they said.
As per locals his father is a retired army man and his family consists of two brothers and one sister besides his parents.
Azad Ahmad Khanday son of Abdul Rashid Khanday resident of Bamnoo Rajpora area of Pulwama district went missing in 2nd week of April and his family had lodged a missing report on 14th of this month.
“We tried to contact him but failed. We are yet to get an clue about him,” his family members said.
A school dropout Azad was leading prayers in a local Masjid, they said.
Belonging to poor family Azad has left behind two brothers, two sisters and his parents
Sahil Abdullah son of Mohammed Abdullah Rather resident of Chakoora Village in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district according to locals went missing just 15 days back.
Locals said that he went missing soon after his friend was arrested for his alleged role in the recent Banihal car Blast.
His family says that they tried a lot to get any clue about him but failed and lodged his missing report at police station Litter (Lassipora) on 13th of this month.
Sahil, a 12th class student belongs to a economically sound family and has left behind three brothers besides his parents.
Riyaz Ahmed Shah son of Late Mohammad Shafi Shah of Gulab Bagh area last spoke to his elder brother Nazir Ahmad Shah at 4 pm on April 10.
“On April 10, at around 4 pm I talked to him over phone. He told me he is in Awantipora,” said Nazir. “His phone is not reachable since,” he added.
The family lodged a missing report at the local police station following which the police informed them that Riyaz was at a hotel in Jammu and not in Awantipora at 4pm on April 10.
“There are no traces about him since then and he has left behind two brothers and his mother,” one of his relative said.
Rayees Ahmad Dar son of Late Ghulam Mohammad Dar resident of Zovastan area in Tral belt of Pulwama district went missing on 3rd April and is still un traced.
He according to his family left home on 3rd April morning for Khrew Pampore where he was working in a cement Factory however, he didn’t return home in the evening.
“On confirming from his work place we got to know that he had not reported for his job either. We tried to locate him but all in vain,” said his family who have now lodged a report with the police.
Rayees a school dropout has left behind his mother besides two brothers.
Faizan Hamid son of Abdul Hamid Bhat resident of Medoora Tral in South Kashmir’s Pulwama also went missing from his home.
His family members said that they tried to find him but failed, forcing them to lodge a missing report at the concerned police station on 17th of this month.
Belonging to a well off family Faizan has passed his 12th class examination recently.
His father according to locals is a retired army man and has left behind a brother besides his parents.
Another youth identified as Imtiyaz Ahmad Shah son of Abdul Ahad Shah resident of Ratsuna Tral went missing on 18th of this month and his family lodged his missing report on 19th of this month.
Imtiyaz, a B Tech student at Islamic University of Science and Technology Awantipora is brother of slain militant Aadil Shah who was associated with Hizb and was killed in an encounter on 19 June 2014 in an encounter in Buchoo area of Tral.
Belonging to a middle class family Imtiyaz has left behind a brother and his parents.
Shahid Sadiq Malik son of Mohammad Sadiq Malik resident of Khul in Damhal Hanjipora area of Kulgam according to his family went missing on April 08 and never returned home.
“After failing to trace him anywhere we filled his missing report on April 10,” they said while adding that they got shocked after his photograph while brandishing a gun went viral on social media.
He was running a shop at main market Kulgam and was also living in Kulgam with his brother who is living there, locals said.
Belonging to a well off family, Shahid has left behind two brothers and one sister besides parents.
Another youth Irfan Ahmad Bhat son of Manzoor Ahmad Bhat resident of Poniwah village in Kulgam district is missing since April 05.
His father Manzoor Ahmad said that soon after he left home we tried to call him several times. “His phone was switched off,” he added.
“We called our relatives and his friends but could not find him,” he said while appealing his son to come back.
After failing to trace him the family has filed a missing report at the Police station Kulgam.
However, police in a statement has said that he is involved in the killing of a Sarpanch Abdul Majeed resident of Shalipora on 3rd of this month and is a murder suspect who is evading arrest.
Another youth Aaqib Ahmad son of Ghulam Mohammed Hajam resident of Redwani has gone missing before one week and still there are no traces about him.
Belonging to a middle class family, Aaqib has reportedly joined LeT.
A senior police official when contacted said that it is likely that most of them have joined militant ranks however, some are missing to evade arrest.
Jahangeer Ganaie
