In a complete turn of events, Majid Arshid Khan, a Kashmiri footballer who had earlier joined terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Toiba, has now returned home and surrendered before police. In a complete surprise, Majid walked into a security camp in south Kashmir last night and surrendered with his arms and ammunition. He was later taken to an undisclosed destination. Last week, Majid had announced on Facebook that he is planning to join the militant ranks of Lashkar. The news of Majid trading soccer boots for guns had left everybody shocked in the Valley, prompting people to appeal him to reconsider his decision. The young boy is locally popular for his footballing skills, charity and medical support for women and child care. The boy recently came in contact with Lashkar operatives and joined the terrorist organisation, as per police. Shocked by the development, Majid’s family, friends and even police urged him to return after he was seen holding an AK-47 rifle at the funeral of a militant killed in an encounter in Khund.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Kashmir IG Muneer Ahmad Khan confirmed that Majid had become a militant. He added that police endeavored to bring back the man. “Even his family members are trying to get him back. We will second the efforts of the family,” he had said. The IG had further said that police is making all necessary effort to bring him back and rehabilitate all other youth who had joined the millitant group.
“It is our sincere endeavor that these misguided youth come back and join the mainstream,” Khan said. “Majid’s friends said that the young man seemed to have changed after one of his close friends was killed in an encounter with security forces in Kashmir in August. According to them, Majid was crying profusely as his friend’s body was being laid to rest. “After that, he was a changed person,’’ a friend told the paper further.
Notably, Majid’s friends and family made a number of appeals via social media. In fact, Majid’s mother Asyia Khan had made a video where she was seen crying, asking her son to return. Majid’s parents had gone on television and social media to ask him to surrender. A friend, writing on his Facebook timeline, said: “Please come back Majid Soba… We love you… Your parents, friends and relatives are waiting for you. We will support you… Please come back.’’ Khan, 22, is a a Commerce graduate and lone child of his family.
On Thursday, Jammu and Kashmir Police had arrested two during an encounter in south Kashmir’s Kund area. The police further claimed of arresting three more millitants during the operation. In a related development, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s had recently appealed police to make attempts to take local militants alive rather than gunning them down during encounters.