Srinagar, Oct 31: Missing Kashmiri student, who was assaulted in Sharda University at Greater Noida, might have returned here in a flight on the day he went missing, Uttar Pradesh police said on Wednesday.
Ahtisham Bilal, a resident of Khanyar in old city, was pursuing a course in Medical Imaging Technology, and was one among the students assaulted during a campus scuffle between the students on October 4.
Arvind Pathak, Station Head Officer (SHO) Knowledge Park, Greater Noida, told The Kashmir Monitor over phone that Ahtisham had booked an October-28 Go-Air flight (G8-223) from Delhi to Srinagar on October 26.
“The flight landed in Srinagar at 3pm and his last mobile phone location was traced in Srinagar at around 4:30 pm Sunday,” the SHO said.
As per him, Ahtisham had spoken to his father at that time but misinformed that he was in Delhi.
His father, Bilal Ahmad Sofi, said Ahtisham had called him in the morning and asked for Rs 1,000.
“He said he was going to Delhi for an outing,” an anxious Bilal, who owns a hardware shop at Khanyar, told The Kashmir Monitor. “I deposited Rs 5,000 in his bank account, but later I learnt he had only withdrawn Rs 400.”
He, Bilal said, again called Ahtisham in the afternoon and asked for his whereabouts.
“He told me he was heading towards a metro station Delhi and would reach his hotel soon. He even told me that he would send me pictures he had taken in Delhi.”
At 6pm, Bilal had again called his son, who, as per him, had already switched off his mobile phone.
Since then, the family has been unable to contact him.
Bilal said he visited the Sharda University at the time of the clashes, and, in his eight-day visit, discussed the matter with the magistrate.
“He assured me about the safety of the students,” said Bilal.
Ahtisham’s mother said he had invited them to Greater Noida for Diwali.
“We were planning to go on November 3,” she said, tears rolling down her face.
Suffering multiple ailments, she appeals her son to return.
“Please return to your home, to your town. I will never force you for any thing again. I will be waiting for you to return home safe and sound,” she said.
Srinagar police was not available for their comments.
