December 31
In last two months three educated youths from Pulwama and shopian who had joined militant ranks were killed whose fathers were already killed by government forces before two decades.
Ishfaq Ahmad wani son of late Mohammad yousuf wani@tahir resident of koil village of Pulwama killed in brief encounter at Banderpora on 28 December 2018, Liyakat Muneer wani son of Muneer Ahmad wani @colonel Jameel of Dargund Bellow killed in his native area november 10 2018 and Nawaz Ahmad wagay son of Gh qadir wagay resident of Reban shopian killed in his native village on 17 November 2018 are three militants whose fathers were also killed by government forces.
Ishfaq responded to ‘ghar wapsi’ calls of his family especially mother but only dead.
Ishfaq who was killed in a brief gunfight in banderpora area of the district on Friday morning remained active for about 160 days after he went missing on 20th of July.
His mother Rafiqa banoo has repeatedly asked him to come back, he came back but only dead. Rafiqa told The Kashmiriyat that her family has been devastated by Ishfaq’s decision to join militancy.
“I have been moving from pillar to post since the day her son went missing but failed to change his decision despite requesting all militant organisations to send ishfaq back,” she said.
“I know what I have done for his studies as I took a lot of pains to finance his studies as ishfaq’s father was also a militant killed before 22 years.”
He left home on 20th of July as he said he has to appear in some examination at Rajouri however we all got shocked when his photograph while weilding gun went viral on social media, one of his close relatives told The Kashmiriyat,
He was never arrested by forces before he joined ranks and we fail to understand why he left a luxurious life and choosed a short life, he said.
Ishfaq a brilliant student was first studying in his own village koil in Alamdar Public school koil, after crossing 10th with good marks he opted for science stream and later completed his BSC from government degree college Pulwama, said his friend Rizwan Ahmad while adding that after completing his BSC, he went outside state where from he completed his masters in Business administration.
He completed his MBA in year 2015 and soon after completing his MBA, he got a job in ICCI bank and later resigned after working there for one year and started fruit business, he said.
He earned a good amount of money from fruit business with which he was associated till he left home and joined militant ranks, he said.
Whole area got shocked when he joined militant ranks and no body is aware yet why forced him to join militant as his family is nowadays a well off family, Rizwan said.
Ishfaq’s father Mohammad yousuf wani @tahir who was famous hizb commander and was considered as mastermind in making IEDs was killed in an encounter along with his two associates on 31st August 1996 in Pingelan village of Pulwama district.
Ishfaq has left behind by mother, step father(uncle), three brothers and one sister. His elder brother Aijaz Ahmad is working in police department.
Nawaz Ahmad wagay from Reban village who had completed his masters in urdu subject was 2nd one to join Al-Badr outfit in a span of less than four days in the last week of June.
“He left home after Friday prayers and within hours his photo carrying Ak 47 went viral on social media within hours” one of his relative told The Kashmiriyat.
Nawaz was arrested several times by forces for having contact with militants, his relative added.
The mother of Nawaz Sara Begum said her family has been devastated by Nawaz’s decision to join militancy.
Sara said she has been moving from pillar to post since the day her son went missing and announced joining Al-Badr by releasing a gun-wielding photograph on various social networking sites. “I am helpless. I took a lot of pains to finance his studies,” she said.
The father of Nawaz Ghulam Qadir wagay was also killed at his native area in year 1996, he also belonged to an economically sound family.
Nawaz is survived by mother, three sisters and one brother. Among them one married and one unmarried sister are government employees.
Liyaqat Muneer Wani was haunted by extra-judicial killing of his father, Muneer Ahmad Wani since early childhood, his family members told The Kashmiriyat.
They said Muneer alias Colonel Jameel was former Hizb divisional commander.
“Muneer left the government job as laboratory assistant in 1989 to receive arms training in Pakistan. He returned from Pakistan in December 1990,” they said.
According to them, Muneer, who was close to Hizb chief Syed Salah-ud-Din, became famous for his guerrilla strategies and remained active for nearly nine years. He became HM’s divisional commander.
They said Muneer was arrested by forces on January 26, 1998.
“Four days later, he was killed in a staged encounter few kilometers away from the site where his son was killed today,” the family members told The Kashmiriyat.
Liyaqat was barely two year’s old when his father was killed. He had lost his mother a year before.
“When he grew up, Liyaqat often used to talk about his father’s killing. While he was pursuing graduation in Degree College Pulwama, he became politically conscious,” his family members said.
They said his father was his inspiration and he dreamed to wear his father’s shoes. “Liyaqat took active part in 2016 street protests which erupted after killing of Hizb commander Burhan Wani”.
“His right eye was hit by pellets outside his house in Bellow during clashes and he underwent two surgeries at SMHS hospital,” his family members told The Kashmiriyat.
The injury didn’t calm Liyaqat and he attempted to join militant ranks several times but was made to return home by his family.
“Every relative used to counsel him that he should look after his younger brother and forget about joining militant ranks,” they said adding, “He didn’t listen to us and made umpteen attempts to join HM, a militant group which was headed by his deceased father in Kashmir at one point of time.”
The family members said Hizb refused to recruit him knowing that he was an orphan and had to look after his family.
Liyaqat joined militant ranks on March 10 this year after writing his final year examinations. A month later, his results were declared and he had secured 92 % marks in graduation.
“He joined Lashkar-e-Toiba but later switched to HM after his cousin, Rayees Ahmad Wani, a HM militant was killed in March 2017,” they told The Kashmiriyat. Liyaqat was said to be a close associate of slain militant, Manan Wani.
“He called us on phone a day before he was killed saying he would come to home next day,” the family members said. Liyaqat, they said, kept his promise but arrived dead.
He was buried next to grave of his slain cousin, Rayees Ahmad Wani who was killed along with his associate Farooq Ahmad Hurrah of Nazimpora in brief shootout in Malangpora area when they were boarding a car.
As per data available to The Kashmiriyat at least 165 youth have joined Militant ranks so far making 2018 the year of highest Militant recruitment in the recent past.
The Kashmir valley has been seeing a constant rise in the number of Militant recruitment after the fall the summer uprising of 2010.
Reports estimate that as many as 467 local youth have become militants out of whom them 335 have come from 247 villages in South Kashmir.
A report by Indian agencies has spotlighted the spread of the militancy that was quelled in 2010, but surged after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016.
The report reveals that Pulwama district in South Kashmir tops the list, with 142 local youth from having joined militancy since 2010.
Youth announcing their joining into Militant ranks through photos on Social Networking has become a trend in Kashmir.
After the Ist April Encounters in South Kashmir, more youth are announcing their entry into Militant Ranks.
Post the encounter of Burhan wani on 08 July, 2016, South Kashmir has turned into the epicenter of what many call as ‘New Age Militancy.’