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J-K: Militant seen at Hizbul commander Sabzar Bhat’s funeral surrenders
Danish Ahmed was also found to be involved in a few stone-pelting incidents at Handwara in 2016, but was let off after police counselling.
A militant, seen at the funeral of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Bhat who was killed in an encounter in Tral, surrendered at a police station in Handwara in Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Wednesday.
Video clips of the militant, Danish Ahmed, a resident of Kulangam in Handwara, were shot during the funeral in Tral and circulated across social media. He was seen wearing a battle pouch with a grenade.
Police said that during investigation, they found that Danish was a student of BSc (third year) at Doon PG College of Agriculture Science and Technology in Dehradun.
Found to be involved in a few stone-pelting incidents at Handwara in 2016, Danish was picked up by police but let off later after counselling.
Police from Handwara and the army’s 21 Rashtriya Rifles got in touch with his parents and asked them to counsel their son to surrender. Danish later surrendered before police and the army in Handwara.
On being questioned, he revealed that he was in touch with militants of south Kashmir region on social media, and it was on their instigation that he decided to become a militant.
He said he was tasked by Hizbul Mujahideen commanders to lead some local youth in north Kashmir to militancy as in south Kashmir.
However, after spending a few days with the militants, police said he realised the futility of joining the militant ranks.
A case under the Arms Act has been registered in Handwara, and investigation is on.
Danish’s case is being considered under the Jammu and Kashmir Surrendered Militants Rehabilitation Policy.
The HM however said that Danish was not affiliated with the outfit.
In an e-mailed statement to KNS news agency, Hizb spokesperson Saleem Hashmi, quoting the outfit vice chief Saif-ul-llah Khalid, said that the claims made by police were not true.He said that the Danish had no links with Hizbul and that “such acts should be seen as tactics of Indian agencies”.
