20-year-old Kashmiri footballer Majid Irshad Khan. (Photo: Facebook/MajidKhan)
20-year-old Kashmiri footballer Majid Irshad Khan. (Photo: Facebook/MajidKhan)

Following Majid Khan episode, two more Kashmiri families appeal militant sons to return; another youth gives up militancy

Ashiq Hussain Bhat went missing on November 9 and few days later his picture with an AK-47 assault rifle went viral on social networking sites.

SRINAGAR: After the footballer-turned-militant Majid Khan surrendered before the security agencies last week on his mother's appeal, two more Kashmiri families have made emotional appeals to their sons to give up militancy and return home while a youth from the state's southern part, who had joined militant ranks two months back, has now returned to the mainstream society.

Ashiq Hussain Bhat, hailing from Kapran area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district, went missing on November 9 and few days later his picture with an AK-47 assault rifle went viral on social networking sites. He has joined militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba.
 
His family has now appealed him to return home.

“Why you left us. You were the only bread earner of the family. You should return back,” said Ashiq’s mother Fehmeeda in an emotional appeal to his son.

“I appeal my son to return. I apologise if I have committed any mistake,” she said, while also threatening to consume poison if her son ignores the appeal.

“He was working in a shop and making our two ends meet. He should return. There is no meaning to our lives without him,” she said.

Ashiq’s wife said they had got married last year.

“We don't know why he left. He should return to take care of the family. His father has to undergo surgery, mother is also not feeling well and what can I do,” she said.

“I will commit suicide if he does not return,” she said adding, “We don't want anything and only want him to return”.

She said Ashiq was the only bread earner of the family.

“We don’t have land or other source of income. Who will take care of the family now?”

In the neighbouring Pulwama district’s Drabgam village, a 20-year-old fruit grower Manzoor Ahmad went missing on November 5 and now has joined militant group Hizbul Mujahideen.

Manzoor’s mother Jawahira is shocked at his son’s decision and wants him to return.

She has made an appeal to the militant group to let his son return home.

“If he is with any organisation, please let him go for God’s stake. I’m shattered. I have nobody but my children. We have no other support other than Manzoor, please let him go," she said in a video appeal, which has gone viral on the social media.

These appeals follow surrender of footballer-turned-militant Majid Khan of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district last week after a video of his mother appealing her son to return had gone viral on social media.

The 22-year-old footballer, nicknamed as Ben Stokes for his resemblance to the English all-rounder, had joined Lashkar-e-Toiba a fortnight back but surrendered before the security agencies a week later.

Meanwhile, a youth from south Kashmir has given up militancy and returned home.

A police officer told New Indian Express that the youth hailing from Chimmer village in Damhal Hanjipora area of Kulgam district, who had joined militancy two months back, has returned.

He, however, refused to divulge further information saying it would pose threat to youth’s life.

The State police chief S P Vaid had yesterday appealed mothers to appeal their militant sons to leave arms and return.

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The New Indian Express
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