SRINAGAR: Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani released a new video on the internet on Tuesday, where he spoke about the recent killings of policemen in Kashmir and why militants won’t attack Amarnath Yatris.
Wani said his group would act against the proposed separate colonies for Pandits and Sainiks, though he added that“Hindus”who had migrated can come and stay in the original places they had left.
The poster boy of “new age, tech savvy militancy” in Kashmir, Wani left home in 2010 to join the militant outfit. In mid-2015, a photograph of 11 young militants, with him in the centre, went viral as observers said he was using social media to recruit young Kashmiri men into militant ranks.
In the 6.17 minute video, Wani was dressed in a white T-shirt and sported a stubble, with two assault weapons on his either side. He said many of his co-fighters have been killed, even as many operations in the last month were executed targeting army and state police personnel.
“We always knew Indian army is our enemy, but the state policemen, though they are our own, compel us to take action against them,” he said, adding that in last year’s video, he had asked policemen not to act against them but they didn’t listen. “Isiliye, ab kisi ke liye koi warning nahi hogi...” Wani announced and asked Kashmiris to stay away from army men and police as they may be attacked any time.
{{/usCountry}}“We always knew Indian army is our enemy, but the state policemen, though they are our own, compel us to take action against them,” he said, adding that in last year’s video, he had asked policemen not to act against them but they didn’t listen. “Isiliye, ab kisi ke liye koi warning nahi hogi...” Wani announced and asked Kashmiris to stay away from army men and police as they may be attacked any time.
{{/usCountry}}Wani also refuted allegations that the outfit was planning attacks on Amarnath Yatra. “Recently, a BSF officer gave a quote that we plan to attack Amarnath Yatra, but we won’t,” he said, adding that the Yatris had come for pilgrimage here.
He also warned the media, accusing them of constantly toeing the Indian state’s line.