Top Jaish-e-Mohammed commander Parbhat Shikari alias Tipu was working as a government schoolteacher in Poonch district according to an identity card recovered from him, police said.
Tipu, a Pakistani national, was carrying an identity card of a government middle school issued by the state education department in Poonch district.
“The slain Pakistani commander was operating in Poonch district as a government teacher. We have recovered an I-card of the Jammu and Kashmir state education department,” senior superintendent of police, Poonch, Manmohan Singh said.
“This is a very serious matter and we are very concerned about the issuance of such a card to a Pakistani militant. We are investigating it,” Singh said.
Tipu was gunned down by the army and police in the Mendhar belt of Poonch district on Wednesday.
The militant was operating in the Pir Panjal range for the past five years and carried an education department card identifying him as Parvez Ahmed, son of Mohammad Arif, resident of Tope in Mendhar. The identity card had on it the stamp and signature of the zonal education officer, Mankot, Mendhar.
“An inquiry has been ordered into the recovery of the identity card from the militant. The SHO, Mendhar, has been asked to verify the authenticity of the identity card and if it is found to be genuine, action would be initiated against those responsible for issuing a government card to the most wanted militant of the Jammu region,” Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}“An inquiry has been ordered into the recovery of the identity card from the militant. The SHO, Mendhar, has been asked to verify the authenticity of the identity card and if it is found to be genuine, action would be initiated against those responsible for issuing a government card to the most wanted militant of the Jammu region,” Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}He said Pakistani militants are reported to have escaped the police net several times by displaying the identity card of a government teacher.