Policeman father of slain militant says his son died for ‘just cause’

Srinagar: The policeman father of the slain Kashmir militant, who died in a gunfight with government forces, says his son was on a ‘just path’ and is ‘proud’ of him.

Adil Khan, the Hizbul Mujahideen district commander for Pulwama, died in a brief gun battle in Handoora village on Tuesday. 

An army colonel was among the dead in the brief gunfight that ended in less than an hour. 

Abid’s family, including his father, Jalal-ul-Din Khan, who is a Head Constable in Jammu and Kashmir Police, have no regrets about their son dying before their eyes as they are confident that he was on ‘righteous path’ and ‘Allah doesn’t choose everyone for martyrdom’.

Abid, who was described as face of militancy in southern Tral region by locals and a ‘hardcore’ militant by forces, left his house on September 2014 after offering Asr (late-noon) prayers. “That was Friday. Earlier he offered Jumah prayers at Dar-ul-Uloom Noorpora Tral and then Asr at a local mosque. He also gave Azaan (call for prayer) in the mosque. After offering prayers, my dad and he came to house and in a while, my brother left the home but he didn’t say where exactly he was going,” recalls Owais Khan, the brother of slain Hizb Commander.

That day he went missing. He had not informed anyone from his family about the decision of taking up arms. A close relative of Abid said on the condition of anonymity that his family particularly his maternal uncle, Manzoor Ahmad, started searches for him. “They moved from one village to another enquiring about Abid,” he said. 

The relative of slain Hizb commander said Abid’s maternal uncle, Manzoor, even announced that ‘whosoever gave his whereabouts will be rewarded with money the he will fetch after selling out all the land’.

Perhaps, Abid was watching all these developments. “He sent a letter to dad. In the letter, he mentioned that he has picked up arms for the implementation of Shariah and don’t search as I have adopted the path of Jihad-e-Feesabeelillah’,” his brother said. “He also said that don’t try to search me as I won’t leave this path.”

The revelations post-Abid’s death in bloody encounter in which an army Colonel, a Special Operation Group (SOG) policeman and two militants including Abid debunks many theories  vis-à-vis Kashmir militancy.

The Kashmir separatists and civil society argue that the ‘Indian State forces local youth to pick up arms by harassing and torturing them’ Many, including Syed Ali Geelani, blame India’s ‘rigid stand’ for forcing Kashmir youth to ‘abandon pen and take arms’.

Though no one can deny the fact that many youth post-2010 mass uprising adopted the militant path after continuous harassment of forces, but there are those boys as well who were never picked up by forces but despite they joined militant outfits because of ‘religious motivation’.

The relatives of Abid say he was never detained by police. “His fight was against un-Islamic institutions and in that fight, he achieved martyrdom,” Owais, his brother, said. “He was deeply religious,” he said.

The father of Abid said that he has no ‘regrets’ about his son joining militancy and then getting killed in a gunfight. “Allah doesn’t choose everyone for this mission. He was from Allah and he returned to Allah,” Jalal-ud-Din Khan said.

“He didn’t betray me as I he died in his house and I am satisfied because had the encounter taken place in some other house, there would have been damage (to that particular house),” he said.

Abid was a second year student when he left his house. He was pursuing Bachelors of Arts (BA) from Government Degree College Tral. He was a bright student, who had won several awards since childhood, his brother, Owais said.

Owais is younger to Abid and is pursuing Engineering and he was taken into precautionary custody on January 23 as Republic Day was ahead and was released on January 26.

Owais says Abid was not only his brother but also his friend. “We were very close to each other,” he said. “We used to meet occasionally even when he was a militant,” Owais said.

Asked when Abid along Sheraz Dar, another militant killed on Tuesday, came home, he said: “He came at around 10:30 pm on January 26. Initially I told him not to come as army always remains around but he came and asked me to open the gate. Our dad was not at home and he was unaware about his return.”

“Abid finally came home and first went 0.5 kilometers away from home to see whether the area is clear of army and not. But, there was no army and he told me it is all clear,” Owais recalls.

But, as if Abid Khan had realized that his ‘desire of martyrdom’ would be ‘fulfilled’. “Some days ago, he had told me that now it is the time to die as martyr. And, even that night, he reiterated his desire,” Owais said, adding we talked to each other on the night intervening night of January 26 and January 27. Abid also gave him a book on Jihad.

However, the father of Hizb militant, was not at home on the night his militant son arrived. “We didn’t inform him,” his son says.

“He came home on the next from duty as he had to give medicine to me. Till army came he didn’t meet him,” Owais said.

“He first had lunch and then he told us that now I will meet the groom (Abid). But, in the meanwhile, the forces led by Commanding Officer MN Rai arrived and directed my father and maternal uncle to ask Abid to surrender,” he said, adding: But, Abid vehemently refused and said I am not for surrender.”

Abid’s maternal uncle, Manzoor, ‘begged’ before him to surrender. “He fell on his feet and told him to lay down arms. But, Abid denied and told him not to come in his way. As Manzoor continued his appeal of surrender, Abid locked him inside the bathroom,” Owais, who is witness to whole scene, said.

Jalal-ud-Din said he asked his son to surrender but he refused. “He told me that Allah has decided it for me and shouted slogan ‘Allah-u-Akbar’ (God is Great),” the policeman recalls, adding: “the firing between two sides started.”

Owais says his militant brother fired first. “He had told dad to ask CO to be ready. He started a volley of fire ensuing gunfight,” he recalled, adding: “Sheraz was killed first and then my brother died.”  “We will now meet hereafter,” Jalal-ud-Din said, confidently.

A senior army officer who spoke to GNS on the condition of anonymity admitted that a large number of youth picked up arms due to religious motivation. “Radicalization is the concern at local as well as global level,” he said. “Several videos of militants have surfaced where they talk to their parents at last minute,” the official said, adding: “take the case of slain militant Shakeel Wani, who was a highly qualified person but religious radicalization attracted him towards gun.”

The officer said the army is ‘engaging youth creatively and positively within its domain through Sadhbhavna activities including sports and education’.

“But, it is the duty of government to act and start a large scale de-radicalization program,” he said, adding: “the government has to see what the factors are and how to deal with them.”   (GNS)

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