SRINAGAR, Nov 20 (TNS): Indian forces tall claim of having gunned down the nephew of “Lashkar e Tayeba Chief” and Mumbai Attacks indict Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi of Pakistan during an operation in north Kashmir’s Hajan area on Saturday has turned out to be a hollow one as the man from jammu has surfaced who’s photo was used and shared to media by forces claiming it to be of slain nephew of Zaki ur Rehman namely Abu Owaid.
Indian Army and police in their joint statement on late Saturday have said that six militants including LET leader Mehmood and nephew of LET Chief Zaki ur Rehma Abu Owaid and an Air Force commando were killed while an army soldier was injured in a fierce encounter in Hajin area of Bandipora district Saturday.
India’s Srinagar-based defense spokesman Col. Rajesh Kalia, in a statement seemingly issued in jubilant mood on late Saturday identified the slain militants as Osama Jangvi alias Owaid – nephew of Zaki-ur-Rehman, Abu Zargaam, Mahmood Bhai – divisional commander of LeT in Hajin, Abu Qetaal, Abdullah and Maviya, all residents of Pakistan.
Then Director General of Kashmir Police, SP Vaid trying not to allow Army of taking the credit alone, quickly turned to his Twitter handle and wrote “The encounter is now finished and was a success. Total of 6 LeT militants eliminated. Weapons and ammunition recovered (Sic).
He said one of the killed militants named “Owaid is the son of Zaki-ur-Rehman Maki and nephew of Zaki-ur-RehmanLakhvi.”
“LeT commanders Abu Zargaam and Mahmood also eliminated in the operation today. All of the militants neutralized today were Pakistanis,” Vaid said in another tweet.
Then on Sunday the head of Srinagar based 15 Corps headquarter Lt General J.S. Sandhu came in front of media like a conqueror and claimed that “With the elimination of six of its commanders yesterday (Saturday), the top leadership of LeT in the Valley has been wiped out.”
Giving details about Saturday’s operation, he said: “Hajin was an area of concern for us. Militants had killed some people in the area.
“We inducted Special Forces into the area. Good information started pouring in. We were keeping Chandegeer village on our radar.
“These militants had been staying there in a house for two to three days.”
The General identified one of the militants killed as Osama Jungvi or Owaid, a nephew of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and probably the son of Zakiur Rehman Makki.
Indian media as usual apart from praising Indian Army for achieving such a “big successes” has covered the development vehemently with channels showing the photo of Owaid repeatedly and newspapers giving it a fair amount of space on their front pages.
But for sheer embarrassment and shame for Army, Police and Media, things have turned upside down on same day as the man shown as Owaid turned out to be a common citizen, Ab Majid from Jammu, a cricket lover running a meat shop.
A TV channel ‘Ground Reality News’ genuinely trying to take the credit approached Ab Majid to show that the man shown in media as being nephew of LET Chief is none other than a common citizen of jammu spotting beard and longer hair with a cape traditionally being wore in Afghanistan and north western parts of Pakistan.
Ab majid has said that he and his whole clan beside the people of his locality were surprisingly embarrassed and he is going to sue the people responsible for the horrible drama.
People in Kashmir are of the opinion that unfolded saga is reflective that the Hajan encounter as feared by many was a fake one and needs to be investigated as there is a long history of Indian occupation forces killing innocent youth in fake encounters to get promotions and cash awards after branding them militants.
