Srinagar
Imagine a middle-aged man wearing battle fatigues raising his index figure, symbolising the oneness of Allah, a usual trait of militants in Kashmir!
A 44-year-old man gave government forces jitters when his pictures, showing him dressed in battle fatigues like militants, flooded the social media, setting rumour mills churning about his joining militant ranks in south Kashmir, said a report published in DNA.
However, the bubble was busted when cops confirmed that he is a debt-ridden man who has gone missing to dodge his creditors.
“Some sections of the social media are circulating news that one Shabir Ahmad Lone of Lonepora Newa Pulwama has joined militant ranks. Ground reports suggest that he owes a huge amount to the people and has to discharge large amounts to his creditors,” DNA quotes a police spokesman saying.
Police said Lone has a history of going into hiding to dodge his creditors. “He has a history of hiding himself for dodging his creditors. He went missing for a long time around three years back. This latest act also seems to be a repetition of his past one,” said the spokesman.
Police also issued an appeal to the people not to heed to such rumours, which are intended at disturbing the peace. “We request citizens not to pay attention to rumours, which are intended to disturb the peace,” said the spokesperson.
Police sources said Lone had gone missing on March 19, but he was in touch with his family over the phone. However, some days ago, he stopped calling, which prompted the family to lodge a missing report, the report mentioned.
Tensions rose when his pictures wearing battle fatigue went viral. Unlike other new recruits in the militant ranks, he did not carry a gun, which gave the police clue that he might be staging a drama, reported DNA.
