A new video message from a Kashmiri Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist has asked the migrant Hindus of Kashmir to return to their homes and hearths assuring them security like the fellow community members who chose to stay put in the Valley despite disturbances. In the same video, the terrorist has also asked youngsters to snatch weapons from the security forces, a pre-requisite to join the terrorist ranks.
Zakir Rashid Bhat, an aide of slain Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani, posted the video message on a social networking site earlier this week. Bhat is believed to be the commander of the largest indigenous terrorist outfit, which received a major jolt after Burhan Wani and his two associates were killed in an encounter in south Kashmir on July 8.
“Our Kashmiri Pandit brothers should return to their homes. We take responsibility of their safety. They should look at those Pandits who never left Kashmir and have not faced any problems here at all,” Bhat said in his message. Bhat also mentioned that his outfit is going to launch an exclusive group of Sikh militants who have expressed the desire to join the militant ranks to avenge the killing of their community members during the Operation Bluestar in Amritsar.
“We have received many requests from our oppressed Sikh brothers to let them join us. We are with them on every front. God willing, we will try and make an exclusive group for Sikhs,” says Zakir.
Seen wearing a combat vest in the video and settled on the floor of a room, Zakir, a former engineering student is flanked by rifles on both sides and is fiddling with a hand grenade.
He also asked the youngsters to snatch rifles from the security forces to join militant ranks. “Many of our brothers have tak-en the path of jehad and joined our ranks by snatching weapons. All those brothers who want to join us, they should snatch weapons. We would welcome them with open arms,” he says in the video.
The message has appeared at a time when over a dozen incidents of rifles snatching have taken place in south Kashmir region.
Commander of the Srinagar-based XV corps lieutenant-General Satish Kumar Dua on Wednesday described the trend as “alarming”.