My brother aspired to join Indian Air Force, how can he pick up arms, says Bemina youth’s sister

Srinagar: “My brother was aspiring to join Indian Air Force (IAF) to make his career. He had even told this to one of his friends. How can he pick up arms,” said the sister of Hilal Ahmed Dar, a young scholar from Bemina area of Srinagar, who didn’t return home since June 13, after going for a trekking at Naranag area of Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.
The family revealed today what Hilal aspired for in a protest at press enclave Srinagar, a day after police top brass especially Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar, who stated that Hilal had joined Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.
Aunt of Hilal said Hilal is orphan and was living with his uncle and aunt since his parents passed away. “He was planning to go to Dubai or Canada after Eid for earning livelihood,” she said.
She said Hilal’s brother is in utter shock since the police claimed that he has joined militant ranks. She said not even a single family member of Hilal is ready to accept the police claims as their ‘son’ was not inclined towards militancy at all. “We are not on the streets to fight with anyone. But we want him to return home,” she added.
Nisar Ahmad Bhat, maternal uncle of Hilal during a protest in the afternoon said that if police claims are true then they should share his location with the family and “we will persuade him to return home.”
The missing Hilal’s sister said that her brother can never take such an extreme step. “He has even told his friend that he will join the Indian Air Force. How can we believe that my brother has joined militant ranks,” she said.
She further appealed to the police, especially Inspector General of Police (IGP) to help them in tracing their brother.
Pertinently, Dar went missing a week ago while he along with his friends were on a trek to Gangabal Lake in Ganderbal. His five friends have returned home on the same day, however, he didn’t return home and has been missing since then.
After a week, the Kashmir police chief yesterday stated that the youth from Bemina has joined Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, a militant outfit