Omar Abdullah says ‘hugely worrying’ as another Kashmiri student ‘joins terrorism’

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has expressed concerns over a Kashmiri student reportedly taking up arms. According to reports, the Kashmiri student, Ehtesham Bilal Sofi, went missing from Sharda University in Greater Noida, following which his photograph emerged along with a flag of a dreaded terror outfit.

Referring to reports that Sofi was roughed up during a scuffle at Sharda University, Omar said that “it’s even more tragic” if the incident at the varsity made him take up arms.

Sharing a report on the Kashmiri student joining terrorism, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister wrote on microblogging site Twitter, “If this is genuine it’s hugely worrying. Sometimes seemingly small actions have huge consequences. If what happened to him at #ShardaUniversity has lead him to choose such a destructive path it’s even more tragic. One more life on the path to ruin & one more family in turmoil.”

The pictures on social media showed Sofi dressed in a black outfit and claimed he had joined militant group ISJK, an outfit influenced by ISIS ideology.

Ehtesham Bilal Sofi (17), a resident of downtown Srinagar, was a first-year graduate student at Greater Noida's Sharda University. He went missing on October 28 after he left the varsity with official permission to go to Delhi, days after he was mistakenly roughed up during a scuffle between Indian and Afghan students in the campus.

A missing complaint was registered in the case at the Knowledge Park police station in Greater Noida as well as at Khanyar police station in Srinagar.

The UP Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) said it has been tracking the case since October 28 and has taken cognisance of the photos. "We are in touch with Jammu and Kashmir police. We are tracking the footprints of the boy from Greater Noida to Kashmir," Inspector General, ATS, Asim Arun told PTI.