Hizbul ‘recruit’ tweeted about Hadiya, Najeeb

SOME OF MANNAN WANI’S TWEETS ALSO CRITICISED INDIAN FORCES FOR THE ‘KILLINGS OF CIVILIANS’ DURING ENCOUNTERS

SRINAGAR: Social media and blog accounts show that the encounter of eight under-trials in Bhopal, the disappearance of JNU studentNajeebAhmed,andHadiya’s conversion to Islam were the themes that kept Hizbul Mujahideen's latest recruit in Kashmir, Mannan Wani, occupied before he picked up the gun.

A picture of 26-year-old Wani, a geology research scholar from Aligarh Muslim University, holding a grenade launcher has gone viral on social media since Sunday night.

A senior Kupwara police officer, however, told Hindustan Times that police have not confirmed if Wani has joined the militant outfit. “His father came and informed police. Wani was in Aligarh and then disappeared. We know of a photo being shared on social media and are investigating,” he added.

The last tweets ofWani,whose Facebook account is now suspended, are about the Hadiya case. He wrote: “Aren't Females of India in their 20's full citizens of this country equals before the law? #freeHadiya #BraveHadiya”. In another satirical post, he wrote: “In India, At the age of 18 One can choose his/her PM but can't chose her religion, Why? Becoz, Islam is Terrorism. #BravaHadiya #Muslims.”

Some of his other tweets criticise Indian security forces for the ‘killings of civilians’ during encounters. One such post from March last year says: "On a average one Kashmiri gets killed every day— Genocide is already going on.Where are we heading? #KashmirBleeds #Martyrs" (sic).

“Nowadays, when the attention of whole India has been diverted by demonetization, let us not stop, let us ask questions and let us strive for Justice (sic). As Albert Einstein has rightly said ‘Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning,” blogged Wani while questioning the state’s version of the encounter in Bhopal.

Meanwhile, Wani’s brother and a government engineer, Mubashir Wani, told Hindustan Times: “The entire family is in a state of shock at his decision. We will be glad if he returns.”