UP ATS to probe student’s ‘links’ to Islamic State
GREATERNOIDA: A day after photos and an audio clip emerged of 17-year-old student from Greater Noida’s Sharda University allegedly swearing allegiance to the Jammu and Kashmir faction of Islamic State, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) started a probe to check if he made any contact with the terrorist outfit while in Greater Noida.
Ehtisham Bilal, a native of Srinagar, had gone missing from Sharda University’s Greater Noida campus on October 28. Five days after his disappearance, an audio clip along with few pictures, allegedly of Bilal emerged on social media which showed him wearing a camouflage outfit, carrying a weapon and posing in front of a black flag.
A voice, purportedly of Bilal, can be heard in the audio clip where he swears allegiance to Islamic State. He then vows to teach a lesson to the “dogs” who roughed him up in the university campus. HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio clip.
Officials from ATS said the agency has started a probe to find out whether Bilal made any contact with the ISIS during his tenure in Sharda University.
“We are aware of an audio clip which was uploaded on Youtube claiming to be that of Ehtisham Bilal, the missing student of Sharda University. We are currently trying to verify if the audio clip and photos are authentic. Other angles are also being probed in the case,” said Dinesh Yadav, additional superintendent of police, ATS, UP police.
Bilal, a first-year bachelor of medical imaging technology (BMIT) student at Sharda University, lived in the hostel and had come to Greater Noida three months ago. On October 4, he was allegedly roughed up some students at the campus. In the audio clip, he refers to the altercation as a catalyst for him joining ISIS.
On October 28, Bilal reportedly told his hostel warden that he was going to Delhi to meet a friend.
According to police, he last spoke to his father at 4.39 pm and SRINAGAR: As the family of Ehtisham Bilal appealed for his return, former J&K chief minister
Omar Abdullah termed his joining militant ranks as worrying. “If this (the news of him joining ISIS) is genuine it’s hugely worrying. Sometimes seemingly small actions have huge consequences. If what happened to him at #Shardauniversity has lead him to choose such a destructive path it’s even more tragic. One more life on the path to ruin & one more family in turmoil,’’ Omar Abdullah wrote on Twitter.
Meanwhile, in Srinagar, Bilal’s family appealed to him to return home. “Please release him as he is the only son among the family. For God’s sake please allow him to come back,” said a woman who claimed to be Bilal’s sister in a video which has gone viral on social media.
his phone was found switched off after that.
According to Noida Police, his phone’s location was traced in Delhi by 12pm and by 2.30 pm, his location was traced to Jammu, indicating that he might have caught a flight from Delhi.
Vineet Jaiswal, superintendent of police (rural) said, “A team of Noida Police has been sent to Srinagar to coordinate with J&K Police as an FIR has been lodged in Srinagar as well.”
Sharda University spokesperson Ajit Kumar said, “We are deeply concerned that a first-year student who had joined the varsity only in mid-september has allegedly joined hands with antinational elements.”