KO Photo: Abid Bhat
Srinagar: Family members and the relatives of a young Srinagar youth, who was pursuing doctorate in Kashmir University and went missing during trekking on June 13, staged a peaceful protest and appealed to all the security agencies and Lieutenant Governor administration and police to take concrete steps to trace their son.
Amid slogans of “we want justice”, “no connection with militancy” the family members of Hilal Ahmed Dar son of Late Ghulam Mohiudin Dar, a resident of Bemina, Srinagar assembled at press colony Srinagar for the third time since their son went missing while trekking at Naranag area of Ganderbal district of Central Kashmir.
“Our son is innocent. He has no militant connection or any other link. We make a fervent appeal to the heads of all security agencies in Kashmir to help trace our son,” said Nisar Ahmed, Hilal’s uncle). “Check his phone records of 20 years. He has nothing offensive against him. He was working in private company in Gurgawon and had come home in the wake of virus.”
He urged the government to question the other five youths, who were part of the trekking group, whether they had any authorized guide with them. “How come they went for trekking on a huge mountain range of Naranag,” Nisar said, adding that the “fake news” was circulated yesterday, that Hilal was killed in an encounter at Zoonimar-Kadikadal. We are grief stricken since then. We have not been able to eat a single morsel of food. We condemn the fake news and news channels, whosoever spread the fake news about Hilal getting killed in gunfight.”
Hilal’s brother, Yasir, who was also part of the protest, said that he has been trying to get the whereabouts of his brother since past many days. “We have been camping in Naranag. Yesterday, we got news that my brother was killed in an encounter, but that was fake news. The fact is that my brother was part of a six member group who went for trekking on June 13. Five youth returned and my brother didn’t,” he said.
Yasir said that if any security agency has picked his brother, they should release him for the “sake of humanity.”
Other family members of missing Hilal said that the LG led administration must direct all the security agencies to trace their son on humanitarian grounds. “He is an orphan. His parents died long back and has been brought up by his uncles. He has no connection with militancy. We urge the government to put in best efforts to trace him out,” they said, while hold pla-cards displaying, “Our son is innocent, trace him out,” and “our son a scholar not a militant.”
The family members of missing scholar have been moving from pillar to post since June 13 but so far there is to clue or whereabouts of Hilal. A police officer said that they have not been able to find Hilal so far neither is any militancy link coming to fore. “The five other youth who were along with Hilal are also being questioned. They are cooperating with the police and even helped to take police to the exact spot where the 26-year-old scholar was last seen,” the officer said. (KNO)
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