Murdered rifleman Aurangzeb’s brothers join army, vow to avenge his death

Mohammed Tariq, 23, and Mohammed Shabbir, 21, attended an enrolment parade of 100 new recruits in the Territorial Army in Rajouri on Monday, according to a defence spokesperson.

Two brothers of an Indian Army soldier, who was abducted and killed by militants last year, have joined the armed forces to “serve the nation and avenge his death”.

Mohammed Tariq, 23, and Mohammed Shabbir, 21, attended an enrolment parade of 100 new recruits in the Territorial Army in Rajouri on Monday, according to a defence spokesperson.

“They were enrolled into a territorial battalion on Monday and now they will undergo training at Punjab Regimental Centre,” the spokesperson said.

They posed with their parents Mohammed Hanif and Raaj Begum after donning the olive green. Hanif is also a former army man.

Aurangzeb was abducted in Pulwama and later killed by armed terrorists on June 14, 2018, when he was on his way back home in Poonch to celebrate Eid with his family. He was a rifleman in the army’s 44 Rashtriya Rifles.

“Our brother gave his life for the nation and we will also follow his footsteps. We will not step back when it comes to sacrificing our lives for the nation. We will make him proud and will make Punjab regiment proud by our duty,” said Tariq.

Their father Hanif, a former Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry soldier, said he may not live to see the “day but his two sons will take revenge of their brother Aurangzeb’s killing.”

“Tariq and Shabbir also want to serve the nation and protect their fellow citizens. Yes, I have lost my son Aurangzeb and death lurks a soldier but then not many have the guts to sacrifice their life for the nation,” he said while speaking to HT over the phone.

“Aurangzeb was trapped and then killed by the cowards. We still miss him,” Hanif said.

Hanif joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earlier this year in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a public rally in Vijaypur area of Samba district.