MBA student joins militancy in south Kashmir; photo flaunting AK-47 goes viral

Srinagar: An MBA student, who had gone missing from south Kashmir’s Pulwama district about a week ago, has reportedly joined Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as his picture flaunting an AK-47 rifle has gone viral on social media.
Official sources said a complaint was lodged on Monday in a local police station in village Koil in Pulwama that an MLA student — Ishfaq Ahmad Wani, who had come home for holidays — went missing from his residence on July 22. “A case was registered and investigation was taken up,” they added.
However, a picture of Wani brandishing an AK47 assault rifle has gone viral on social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter.
But, sources said the details about whether Wani has joined militant ranks are being investigated.
This is not the first time a youth has announced joining militancy by flaunting assault rifle on social media. In the recent past, youngsters have been announcing joining militancy ranks by posting their pictures with weapons on social media, including Facebook and Twitter.
About 50 youth, including son of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chairman, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) scholar and Kashmir University professor, have joined militant ranks in valley, particularly south Kashmir in the last about eight months.
However, about two dozen youth, including an ace footballer, returned home after shunning violence in the valley since November last year. Police has been reiterating that no case will be registered against the youth, who will be provided all assistance to start afresh and lead a normal life.
Recently a youth who had snatched a weapon from the guard of a J&K Bank in south Kashmir surrendered before police alongwith the snatched 12 bore rifle.