'Scholar-turned-Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist ignored appeals to return home'

NEW DELHI: Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Mannan Wani, who was a research scholar at Aligarh Muslim University before taking up the gun, had ignored repeated appeals from his family and friends to return to the mainstream.

As per sources in security establishment, he chose to use his ability to articulate views better, thanks to his education and Wahabi leanings, to convince young Kashmiris to join terror ranks. "Multiple appeals were made to Wani after he went missing from AMU and his gun-wielding image as a Hizbul Mujahideen recruit surfaced on social media. However, he remained firm on his decision. Being highly educated and well read, he was better at articulating views justifying violence as a means to achieve 'azaadi'. His articulation of Wahabism was seen as a major pull factor for Kashmiris keen to join militancy," said an officer of the central security establishment. Wani was killed on Thursday in a gunfight with security forces in Kupwara.

An officer said Wani had turned into somewhat of a 'mastermind' for the local recruitment. "Despite being highly educated, he chose to wield the gun. A terrorist who picks up the gun either kills or gets killed. In his case, the latter has turned out to be true. Terrorists like Wani are more dangerous than those involved in actual attacks, as they lend their mind and thought process to sell militancy to Kashmiris and push up local recruitment into militancy."

As per an estimate, over 130 locals have been recruited so far this year by terror outfits in J&K. Sources said with sustained anti-terror operations depleting the number of terrorists J&K hinterland, there is a conscious effort by terror outfits to maintain the minimum strength of their operatives in the valley at 300.