By Mudassir Kuloo
Srinagar, Mar 24: Missing since Friday, the son of recently-appointed Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Chairman, Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, has surfaced on social media brandishing an AK-47 assault rifle.
This is for the first time when the son of any Hurriyat leader has, apparently, joined a militant outfit.
Police said they received a missing a complaint about Sehrai’s son, Junaid Ashraf Khan, at Police Station Saddar Baghat on Saturday afternoon.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, Imtiaz Ismail Parrey told The Kashmir Monitor that the complaint was filed by Sehrai’s second son.
“Police is verifying it,” Parrey said.
According to an official at the police station concerned, “The family has stated in the report that Junaid went for Friday prayers and was to return by the evening after repairing his mobile phone. But he did not return.”
Junaid, a resident of Jehangir Colony at Baghat, has done MBA from the Kashmir University.
A source close to Sehra’s family said that Junaid, after completing his MBA, was not doing any work.
“He used to sit at home. Occasionally, he used to go to the university,” the source said.
The picture seen on social media mentioned that he has been active with Hizbul Mujahidin since March 24 with code name ‘Amaar Bhai’.
His father Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, 74, took over the leadership of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat last week from Syed Ali Geelani, his close associates for more than last six decades.
Sources said that local police had lodged an FIR against Junaid in an alleged stone-pelting case.
“He had appeared in many court hearings for it,” sources said.
Apart from Junaid, a picture of Aabid Maqbool Bhat, a resident of Khangund, Tral, wielding a gun has also gone viral on social media.
Abid, son of a police head constable Mohammad Maqbool has announced his joining Jaish-e-Mohammad with a code name of ‘Umar Bhai’.
Born in 1944 in Tikkipora village of Lolab in Kupwara, Sehrai has been a close associate of Geelani for almost 57 years.
In 1965, when he was 21, Sehrai was arrested for the first time for “anti-government” activities. He spent six months in jail.
In his first interview to a local daily as Chairman, Sehrai said he was critical of ISIS.
“Some elements are creating confusion among masses by raising ISIS flags at the funeral of militants. We have kept a close watch on them, and will soon chart out a plan to stop them after TeH elections,” Sehrai was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
“It could be the handiwork of agencies keen to defame the Kashmir movement and undermine its indigenous character,” he had said. “Our agenda is simple. We only want Kashmir to be free from Indian occupation. Nothing else.”
A senior leader of Hurriyat said the youth joining militant ranks “do not ask for permission”.
“Hurriyat Conference is apolitical. They have no concern with other things. Sehrai sahib’s son went to join the militant ranks on his own, so far no body’s son asked for permission,” the leader said.
