Days After Rizwan’s Death, His Friend ‘Joins’ Militancy

Majid Jahangir
Srinagar:Two days after the death of a 28-year-old private school principal, Rizwan Asad Pandit in police custody, his close friend is believed to have joined the militant ranks.
An unverified audio message surfaced on the social media wherein Shahid Manzoor, while claiming to be a friend of Pandit, announced to have joined the militant ranks.
“I would not believe in the gun earlier. I always thought that our brothers who picked up the gun were doing wrong by playing with their lives. But, now I believe and say it with certainty that only ‘jihad’ and gun are solution to the oppression and injustice,” Manzoor said.
A resident of New Colony in Awantipora, Pulwama district, Manzoor said he joined militancy after the custodial killing of his friend.
He said in the past Rizwan and he were “tortured in custody”.
“During interrogation they abused our sisters and mothers. This abuse hurt the most than the physical torture,’’ he said.
Claiming that he too wanted to live, Manzoor said he had no choice but join the militancy.
“I know my life is very short now but whatever it is, it will be dignified and I will be proud of my life that I stood against the killers of Rizwan,” he added.
The police picked up Rizwan on Sunday night and he died in custody on Tuesday. The family has termed it a cold-blooded murder. While a magisterial probe has been ordered, the police have claimed that the deceased tried to escape from the custody.
A police officer in south Kashmir said he had seen the picture of Manzoor, but could not say anything immediately.
Another police officer, however, said the audio had been on the social media and they were looking into it.(TNS)