A Muslim family of Khandaypora in Jammu and Kashmir’s southern Kulgam district, where Lashkar-e-Tayyaba commander Abdur Rehman, alias Abu Qasim was killed in an encounter with the security forces earl
A Muslim family of Khandaypora in Jammu and Kashmir’s southern Kulgam district, where Lashkar-e-Tayyaba commander Abdur Rehman, alias Abu Qasim was killed in an encounter with the security forces early Thursday, has claimed that the slain man was one of its members who went to Pakistan when he was only 15 to receive arms training. The police termed the claim as claptrap.
While people who turned up in large numbers to perform the last rites of Abu Qasim, a woman Naseema Banoo among them claimed that the body was actually that of her brother Muhammad Yakoob Hajam “who became a mujahid when he was only 15 years old and crossed over to Pakistan”.
Her siblings Mubeena Banoo, Mushtaq Ahmed and Ghulam Mohiuddin endorsed her claim.
Their mother Khatoon Banoo told people, “I’m old and, therefore, can’t trust my own eyes but my children can’t be wrong.”
Inspector general of police (Kashmir range) S.J.M. Gillani was quoted by local news agency CNS as saying “This is all nonsense. The claims made by the family carry no weight”.
Meanwhile, a security alert has been sounded across Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of top Lashkar-e-Tayyaba commander Abdur Rehman alias Abu Qasim in a gun battle with security forces early on Thursday.
Police sources here said that the security forces particularly those on counterinsurgency assignment and others guarding the sensitive and other important government installations have been asked to be extra vigilant.
“The militants particularly the LeT have suffered a major blow and they may strike in a big way in coming days out of frustration or to take revenge,” a senior security force official said.
Local news agency Kashmir Media Network reported that the intelligence bureau has also issued an advisory to the state government cautioning it against possibility of the Lashkar or its allies together or separately striking in a big way in coming days. It added that some other intelligence agencies too have alerted the government on such possibility.
