‘When he left, we thought he had gone to play cricket’

KIN SAY THEY HAD NO IDEA ABOUT HIS LINKS WITH MILITANTS; BOY HAD LEFT HOME LAST WEEK

SRINAGAR: The family of the 14-year-old boy, who was among the three killed in an encounter with the forces in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday, said they had no idea that he had joined the militant ranks.

“He was a regular Class-10 student and the only brother to four sisters. When he left home last Tuesday, we thought he had gone to play cricket with his friends. When he did not return till late evening, we got worried and tried calling on his mobile phone. But it was switched off,” said his grandfather, who is in his 80s.

“We knew nothing about him joining the militant ranks. He was just 14. He was always with his books or playing cricket,” he said.

The boy’s father is a farmer and a vehicle dealer in Shopian district.

The family hadn’t heard from the boy ever since he left home last week. On Saturday night, when he finally rang them up, it was to inform them that he had been trapped by the security forces.

“He asked us to forgive him. I told him to raise his hands and come out to surrender. He said he would think about it and then hung up,” said the boy’s grandfather.

He said the authorities gave his grandson and his accomplices a chance to surrender. “The security forces suspended the operation for the night. We all went to the site and made appeals on the public address system but there was no response,” said the grieving grandfather.

“In the morning, he had come

out with his other colleague who was firing; then they were killed,” he said.

“What can be done now? We only want that his dead body be returned to us. He was just a child,” said the inconsolable grandfather.