Rifleman Aurangzeb of 4 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, posted at the 44 Rashtriya Rifles camp at Shadimarg in Shopian, who was involved in terrorist Sameer Tiger’s encounter, was found dead on Thursday. He was kidnapped by terrorists, while on his way home, for the festival of Eid. A massive search operation had been launched by the Army, but unfortunately he had been killed by the terrorists, who had pumped bullets in his head and neck.
According to the police, at around 9 am on Thursday, his colleagues from the camp in Shadimarg had asked a taxi driver passing by, to take him to Shopian, from where he’d have taken the Mughal Road route to his home in Rajouri. However, as soon as the car reached the Kalampora village in Pulwama, it was stopped by terrorists, who then kidnapped him. As soon as they took him away, the taxi driver called the police, and informed them about the kidnapping.
Later in the day, his dead body was recovered by a search party comprising of both policemen and army men at Gussu village, around 10 kms from the spot where he was kidnapped. Meanwhile, the terrorists who had kidnapped him, uploaded a 1 minute 30 seconds video on the internet on Friday. Aurangzeb, dressed in a blue jeans and t-shirt, is being tortured in this video, being asked about his duties, postings and encounters which he was a part of.
According to sources, the terrorists are likely of the terror group Hizbul Mujahideen, and they must’ve killed Aurangzeb after shooting the video. Hanif Khan, the father of Aurangzeb and a 55 years old retired army man, is both anguished and proud that his son attained martyrdom. He has asked Modi government to kill the terrorists within the next 72 hours, and has warned that if the government fails to do it, he will do it himself and avenge his son’s death.
Reportedly, he has said that he knows how to use weapons, having been in the Army himself, and has not yet forgotten how to use them, even after retirement. He also said, “Though my son has been killed, people should not stop sending their children in the army, otherwise who will fight for the country? Death is a certainty, and it will come some day. I had sent him in the army to serve the country. A soldier is supposed to destroy the enemies or become a martyr.”
Fourth of Hanif and Raj Begum’s 10 children, Aurangzeb has 5 brothers and 4 sisters. In fact, Hanif’s elder son Mohammed Qasim is in the army, while his 2 younger ones, Mohammad Tariq and Mohammad Shabir, are ready to join the Armed Forces. Tariq has passed the written and physical examination and has to undergo a medical examination in Pune, to be held on June 22. While Shabir is preparing for a written examination scheduled for 27th of July.
Hanif proudly claims, “Ours is a family of soldiers”. However, Aurangzeb’s mother Raj Begum, is dejected. Recalling the chain of events, Hanif said, that he had a call on his mobile that was picked up by his wife. A person on the other side, asked about him in Urdu, and then disconnected the call. Later on, he again got a call from the same number. It was from the Rashtriya Rifles.
They told him that Aurangzeb has been kidnapped. Haneef says, that he immediately told his wife, “Jebi (Aurangzeb’s pet name) nu militant utha le gaye”. He adds “The army informed me about his death at around midnight, on 14th June, but Raj (wife) only got to know in the morning, on the 15th, when the relatives started gathering at my home.” The Youth salutes Aurangzeb’s martyrdom, and the nationalist spirit of his family.
