Hizbul chief's pic near clock tower goes viral

Days after Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit announced that its “Command Council” will meet in Srinagar on November 21, a photograph of its commander Umar alias Hanzalla posing in front of Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower) in Srinagar surfaced on Thursday.

In the picture clicked during evening hours, which surfaced on social media, Hanzalla is wearing a bullet proof jacket with Clock Tower in the background. The veracity of the picture couldn’t be confirmed.

A police official said that they were verifying the authenticity of the picture. “It seems to be a doctored picture,” he said.

Hanzalla, the most wanted militant active in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district for the last five years, carries a bounty of Rs 10 lakh. He has been accused of killing seven people, including five policemen at Kulgam, in May 2017.

The picture appeared in the backdrop of a statement purportedly issued by Hizbul a few days back challenging authorities to stop a meeting of its “Command Council” in Srinagar on November 21.

“It is to inform you all that on November 21st of 2018 Hizbul Mujahideen Jammu and Kashmir would be holding its command council meeting in Srinagar. This year the meeting will be presided over by our senior member from Shopian,” reads the letter issued under the name of Muhammad Bin Qasim, field operational commander of Hizbul.

Picture proof

“We by the grace of God are challenging India and its stooges to stop us. The command council will hold deliberations on various issues and future course of action. Some minutes of the meeting will be made public after the successful completion of meeting,” it further reads.

According to a latest statement circulated by the Hizbul on social media, Hanzalla was the main operator of outfit's “Command Council” meeting held in Srinagar on Wednesday. “A picture has been released as proof in which Umar Majeed can be seen posing near Ghanta Ghar Lal Chowk,” it claimed.