A day after reports about him going missing, Kashmir University assistant professor has joined militant ranks and has been trapped by the joint team of government forces in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Saturday.
The police have called the family of the professor, Dr Mohammad Rafi Bhat from Chunduna, Ganderbal to persuade him to surrender, officials and family sources said. "We have contacted his family after coming to know that Rafi Ahmad has been trapped along with other militants at Badigam area of Shopian," a police officer told. Rafi's brother, Imtiyaz Ahmad when contacted by also confirmed that the family is on the way to Shopian.
The family comprises mother, wife and the brother of Rafi, a contractual assistant professor in Kashmir Universities department of Sociology. Rafi had gone missing only on Friday and as per family, they had no whisper about him joining the militant ranks. The family of the missing Rafi then approached KU authorities who wrote to police about the case and later a missing report was registered by the police.
An encounter broke out between militants and government forces at Badigam, Shopian early Sunday morning. In the initial firefight one SOG personnel, Anil Kumar and army soldier of 44 RR were injured. Soon intense clashes rocked the area and one civilian suffered injuries and was hospitalized.