Jammu and Kashmir Police has claimed that the missing PhD scholar from Bemina area of Srinagar has joined Hizbul Mujahideen, indicating to the new trend of educated youth joining militancy making a comeback. The youth has been identified as Hilal Ahmed of SrinagarAfter the killing of Prof Rafi and PhD scholar Mannan Wani, this is the third PhD student who has joined Hizbul Mujahideen. However, police are still soft on his joining, and has assured the family that he will not be arrested if his family persuaded him to come back.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar while confirming the joining said that “Yes, as per our reports, Hilal Ahmed, a Ph.D scholar from Bemina area of Srinagar has joined Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. If his family brings him back, we will not arrest him.”
Hilal, who is pursuing PhD from Kashmir University, had gone missing on June 13, during a trekking trip along with his five friends. The group had gone to the Naranag area of Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, and during the trip he left his friends mid way on the pretext of bad health.