People must apply common sense, photographs are photoshopped, says Muneer Khan
‘Won’t CCTV capture them? We have and are still confirming that images are morphed’
Srinagar: Around a week after a letter allegedly written and circulated on social media by a militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen informing people and challenging the armed forces to catch them while they meet in summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, a photo of its top commander was posted on internet on November 22 with the group claiming to have held the meet despite tight security, amid the buzz in heart of the city Lalchowk.
The police say that the photograph is morphed however the claim raises questions about the efficiency of the armed forces deputed in the valley.
The letter was allegedly been issued by Hizb’s Field Operational Commander Mohammad Bin Qasim. It read, “It is to inform you all that on November 21st 2018 Hizbul Mujahideen Jammu and Kashmir would be holding its command council meeting at Srinagar (sic).”
The meeting, as per the letter, will be presided over by Hizb’s “senior most member from Shopian.”
Challenging the authorities, the group had mentioned in the letter that “The command council will hold deliberations on various important matters and the future course of action,” it reads, adding that “the minutes of the meeting will be made public after the successful completion.
Reportedly, after the photo of militant identified as Umer Majeed alias Abu Hanzalla standing near GhantaGhar in Lalchowk, Srinagar, was posted police had started screening the CCTV footage of Lal Chowk and its adjoining areas to verify the claims.
However, no such meeting took place that day, says the Police.
The militant outfit had claimed to have conducted the “command council meeting in Srinagar as per the schedule.”
Additional Director General of Police, law and order and Security, Munir Ahmad Khan told Free Press Kashmir that people don’t need confirmation from the police as the “picture is clearly morphed.”
“Regarding some things, people must apply common sense. The photographs are photoshopped. You can make that out by yourself,” he says.
When asked what police thinks is the message militants are trying to give out by uploading Photoshopped (edited) images of them having a meeting in the city centre, amid tight security and movement of civils, he says, “This is nothing. They are doing it to show it to people. Otherwise, won’t CCTV cameras capture them? Or would they stop working once militants passes by?”
The police won’t counter the act, he says, adding “We have and are still confirming that the images are morphed”.
