Assam youth joins Hizbul Mujahideen, picture of him holding AK-47 goes viral

A picture of a youth from Assam carrying an AK-47 in his hands has gone viral on social media giving a new twist to the militancy in Kashmir. The picture, which went viral on social media in Kashmir, has forced security agencies to rethink.

In the picture, a young man from the North-Eastern state is carrying an AK-47 rifle in his hand and according to the information given on the photograph, he has joined the terrorist organisation the Hizbul Mujahideen. If the news is true, then it will be the first case when a youth from India's North-East region has joined the list of terrorists in Kashmir.

"We cannot respond to anything now. We are investigating this matter and we are constantly in contact with the Assam Police, And all facts are being scrutinized keeping in mind the development, We will share it with you as soon as anything is confirmed," said Inspector General of Police, Kashmir SP Pani.

In the viral picture, this young man,Qamer-Uz-Zaman, is seen somewhere in the forest area but the actual location cannot be confirmed. Sources in intelligence say that it is the upper reaches of South Kashmir. The viral photo reads that Qamer-Uz-Zaman had joined the terrorist outfit, the Hizbul Mujahideen and his code nameis Dr Hurairah. His father's name is mentioned as Ibrahim Zaman, resident of Assam, and his qualification as MA English. Since the picture has gone viral, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has swung into action and has started an investigation.

"Joining of youth from other parts of country is really worrisome, we have activated our people as per the information we got from the picture and are collecting more information from the ground, we are hopeful that soon we will be able to locate his area if the information in the picture is correct," a police official said.

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah has also shown his concern. In a tweet, the former J&K chief minister says that his security personnel had informed him about his presence in around Srinagar.

Reports from Assam state that Qamer-Uz-Zaman's mother Shahir Khatoon has recognized the viral picture on social media. She has confirmed that she has only one son and that it is his picture. Reports further suggest that Qamer-Uz-Zaman had spent four years in US, he returned to India in 2006 and went to Kashmir telling his family that he had started a business in Kashmir. But according to family sources, there was no contact with him since July 2017 and a missing report was also lodged.

A report quoting Qamer-Uz-Zaman's mother says, "We have not been able to contact him since July 2017. If my son is associated with such an organisation, the government can shoot him, I do not need such a son," Khatun said.