‘Missing’ Brother Of Serving J&K IPS Officer Suspected To Have Joined Terrorists

Brother of an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from Jammu and Kashmir missing since 26 May is suspected to have joined terrorist ranks, as reported by Times of India. According to intelligence sources, Shams-ul-Haq Mengnoo, whose brother is serving as an IPS officer "outside Jammu and Kashmir", belongs to Dragud, a village in Shopian. He is pursuing a course in Unani medicine and surgery (BUMS) in Srinagar.

According to police sources, efforts will be made to bring Mengnoo back to the mainstream if apprehensions regarding his joining the militant ranks turn out to be true. In Pulwama, earlier this year, two other relatives of policemen had taken to militancy. Mengnoo’s family has not filed a missing report.

“An investigation is on. There is nothing concrete to suggest that he has joined militant ranks so far,” a senior police officer said. His family has not approached the college to seek his whereabouts. “We are looking into all angles, and not just militancy. The investigations remain inconclusive,” another officer said.

Meanwhile, police have identified two militants, killed in a recent encounter in Kupwara. These two militants are top Jaish commander Mehmood Bhai and Waqas, who was involved in the killing of policemen in Sopore.

Earlier, Abid Maqbool Bhat, son of head constable Mohammad Maqbool Bhat announced joining militancy while releasing a picture. In a picture, Abid was seen wielding an AK-47 rifle. He was later killed in a gunfight in Tral. Mohammmed Rafi Bhat, a professor in Kashmir University's Sociology department had joined militant ranks. He was killed within 24 hours of joining militancy in an encounter in Shopian.

India Today reported that youths joining militancy in Kashmir Valley has shown a surge, particularly in South Kashmir, since April this year.