Ph.D. Scholar Shocks Family, Friends With Joining Militancy

Srinagar—Family and friends of a Ph.D. scholar from the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University’s are in a state of a deep shock after a photo surfaced on social media, showing the youngster armed with an automatic rifle, having reportedly joined the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.

Mannan Bashir Wani, 25, a resident of Takipora village in Lolab, Kupwara, was pursuing a doctorate in Geology at AMU, and was scheduled to return home three days ago but failed to turn up. Instead, a photo went viral on Facebook and Twitter, showing him posing calmly with what looked like a grenade launcher-cum-assault rifle.

The development is seen as a major setback to the efforts by security forces to wean away youngsters from the path of militancy.

The photo described Mannan as having joined the Hizbul Mujahideen on 5 January with the codename ‘Hamzah Bhai’.

The description erroneously mentions that Mannan has a PhD in Applied Geology while he is actually pursuing the degree.

Police sources told Firstpost that the young scholar comes from a well-off family in the Lolab Valley. His father, Bashir Ahmed, is reportedly a lecturer while his brother is working as a junior engineer in the Jammu and Kashmir government. According to his father, Mannan had been a student at AMU for over four years, “He was a timid boy. But an event last year when he was harassed by security forces transformed him. Our whole family is in a shock,” Bashir said. The incident took place in November 2017 when the youngster was on way to Srinagar from his home and it was described in a Facebook status by Mannan himself.

In the post, Mannan said the car was stopped four times and he had to get down and prove his identity every time. “The most disgusting thing was when an ordinary SOG personnel donning black uniform posed questions like, why had I grown such long hair, why didn’t I trim my beard if intend to look smart, why do I wear long boots, why do I wear a shawl in such a young age?”

In the chilling Facebook post, Mannan mentions that a lady sitting next to him likened their situation to that of slaves, “On this disgusting day, the best moment happened when I got a compliment from the Indian Army officer (who also checked my identity card, but spared me from getting down from the car) about my looks resembling the famous Commander, who has given them sleepless nights, and me passing a gentle smile without uttering a single word,” the young scholar wrote.

When he returned home, there was something amiss about him, “He looked disturbed that day. I could see the anger and the sadness in his eyes. But I had never thought he will take this extreme step,” his father said over phone from Lolab. A friend of Mannan at AMU, who Firstpost contacted, said he had lost touch with him since November, around the same time the incident happened.

According to a profile on AMU’s official website, Manaan was awarded ‘Best Paper Presentation Award’ in an international conference on ‘Water, Environment, Energy and Society (ICWEES) held at AISECT University, Bhopal, for his paper ‘Flood Risk Assessment of Lolab Valley from Watershed Analysis’ using remote sensing and GIS techniques. Around 400 delegates from 20 countries, including China, US and the UK, participated in the conference.

Mannan had also come to Delhi recently from his University to lend support to the campaign for seeking whereabouts of the missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, “And also I believe, protest March or Sit-ins are only successful when all forms of protest are made simultaneously by people in their own capacities. We can neither expect everyone to come on roads and walk three or four kilometers on foot or lay on ground for days nor can we expect everyone to write long pieces, but, we can at least expect it from everyone to remain protesting for any genuine cause, until the justice is not delivered, in any form which he/she deems suitable and possible,” he wrote in his blog post.

Inam, another Kashmiri student at AMU, said he had had little contact with Mannan since he was his senior but the two met once over tea at the university canteen. “He talked enthusiastically about Kashmir and Palestine. I met him again on 31 December at his room as I was going home. He promised that once I come back, we will meet and talk for hours.” He asked Firstpost to use his first name only due to fear of reprisal by security agencies.

Expressing concern over the new development, Munir A Khan, the police chief of Kashmir region, told Firstpost that a missing report was submitted by Mannan’s family on Sunday and a case has been filed. “We have taken cognisance of the case. If true, it is a tragic development, and we will use all our resources to get him back to his family so that he can continue his studies and contribute positively to the society,” he said.

However, this latest entry in the militant ranks has got the security establishment worried. According to official records, since 2017, 10 youngsters surrendered after the Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a drive in which their families made appeals. “Our forces have so far rescued 75 boys who were on the verge of joining militancy. We are hopeful of getting Mannan back as well,” a senior police officer said.

But many more are joining militant groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. “We are fighting a nasty war in Kashmir against an over-populous, poor nation but a true military might,” Inam, Mannan’s friend wrote in a Facebook post. “Picking up a gun to fight the injustice is almost suicidal here. When a young man picks up a gun here, we don’t expect a new dawn of freedom, we don’t sing ballads of a new revolution. Elegies are written instead, and in total resignation we await the fateful news”. (With Inputs From FirstPost)

Wani Expelled From University

Research scholar Mannan Basheer was Monday expelled by Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) authorities in the wake of reports alleging that he may have joined a militant group after his photo appeared in the social media showing him with an AK-47 rifle.

A team of senior AMU officials sealed the room of Mannan Basheer Wani, 26, this morning immediately after they received a letter from the Superintendent of Police, Aligarh regarding the alleged “nefarious” activities of the student, university officials said.

Wani was a researcher in the Department of Geology and was last present in his department on January 2, according to AMU officials, who said that the university has initiated an inquiry into the matter and intensified security checks including in all its hostels in view of the incident.

According to the officials, Wani hailed from Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir and had left for his hometown shortly before the commencement of the winter vacation at AMU on January 6.

A senior AMU official said that prior to the police department’s letter, the university had not received any intimation from the student’s family that he had not arrived at his home after leaving Aligarh.

Suspicion over Wani’s antecedents was triggered after his photograph showing him holding a gun appeared on various social media sites. It was suspected that the scholar from Tikipora in Lolab area might have joined the Hizbul Mujahideen.

However, police in Jammu and Kashmir said it was too early to confirm if Wani had joined militancy. A police official said Wani’s last known location was Delhi few days earlier and they are ascertaining where he went after that.

Meanwhile, the AMU Proctor, Professor Mohsin Khan, told PTI that the University had set “up a comprehensive inquiry into the entire matter” and is also taking further necessary steps for beefing up security in hostels of the university.

The Proctor said nothing whatsoever suggesting that Wani was in any way involved in radical activities had come to their notice before this episode. The inquiry committee would, however, fully probe this matter, he said.

Khan said that even before the incident came to light, the University Vice Chancellor, Tariq Mansoor, had issued a directive to the security staff to step up vigil on all entry and exit points of the university.

Checking of identity cards of all youths entering the campus and different hostels had also been intensified.

Khan said that university authorities have also decided to conduct surprise checks in different hostels of the university during night hours to ensure that no external elements, including expelled students, are taking shelter in hostels in connivance with any of the inmates. (TOI)

Hizb Welcomes Wani

Militant outfit Hizbul Mujhadeen has welcomed the Aligarh Muslim University Ph.D scholar for joining the organization and has described the development as a good omen for the on-going Kashmir Freedom Struggle.

As per a statement issued to news agency CNS, the organization Chief Syed Salahuddin while addressing a high level Command Council meeting said that the entry of Abdul Manan Wani of Tekipora Lolab exposes the Indian propaganda that youth of Kashmir are joining militant ranks due to unemployment and economic distress.

 “From years on educated and qualified youth of Kashmir have been joining Hizbul Mujhdeen to take this ongoing Freedom Movement to logical conclusion. This spirit of youth is laudable,” Salahuddin said.

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