Militant for a day, Kashmiri professor leaves kin shocked

Professor at Kashmir University went missing on Saturday

SRINAGAR: The death of Kashmir University teacher Mohammad Rafi Bhat in a gunfight with security forces on Sunday has left his family, friends and students shocked and at a loss to explain his decision to join militant ranks.

The 32-year-old’s stint with militancy was perhaps the shortest in the Valley – he is believed to have joined the Hizbul Mujahideen Friday afternoon and was dead early Sunday.

The assistant professor of sociology was among the five militants killed in a fierce gun battle fire in Badigamat in south Kashmir’s Shopian.

“It was a shock. He never discussed militancy with us nor did he show any inclination towards it,” said Mudasir Rasool Mir, who is pursuing a PHD in social work at Kashmir University in Srinagar.

A resident of Chundina area in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, Bhat, who was married, went missing at around 3.30pm on Friday. He had spoken to his mother that day but betrayed no signs of taking the path to violence.his family informed the university authorities about his disappearance on Saturday morning, which sparked off protests on the campus.

The vice chancellor informed police about Bhat and assured students that all efforts would be made to trace the teacher.

Police got to know that

the teacher was among the five men holed up in Badigam when he called his father on Sunday morning. “I am sorry if I have hurt you and this is my last call as I am going to meet Allah,” Bhat told his father, who recounted the conversation to police.

Police, who were monitoring all calls, sent a team to Bhat’s father, asking him to convince his son to surrender.

Police made repeated attempts to persuade Bhat to surrender, but to no avail, Kashmir inspector general of police SP Pani said.

“After receiving the input about his presence there, we brought his family from Ganderbal to persuade him to surrender,” Pani said.

The family is at a loss to explain his decision. So are his friends who described him as a wonderful human being, a good student and “best teacher”.

Bhat was active on social media and recently shared on Facebook a poem penned for him by his outgoing students, saying, “Gift from my students. I will remember your love and respect”. Bhat’s death had proved that providing jobs and ensuring development were not the solution to end “violence and alienation” in Kashmir, former chief minister Omar Abdullah said.