An audio message has been put on social media on Thursday, 21 March, where a young man is heard pledging jihad to end "oppression" of the Indian security forces in in Jammu and Kashmir.
The man in the audio is reportedly a friend of Rizwan Pandit, a 28-year-old Kashmiri teacher who was killed in custody in Awantipore on Tuesday, 19 March, as per News18.
In the audio, Shahid Manzoor can be heard saying, as quoted by News18, "It is better to have a short and dignified life than a long one of slavery. I know after picking up a gun, my life would be very short but jihad is the only option left if you want to free your future generations from oppression and slavery of India."
Rizwan Pandit, who was arrested in connection with a terror case, died in police custody, triggering protests at his town in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday, police said.
Manzoor further added, “I wanted to live, study and be with my parents but I have no choice but to pick up gun. I believed in peace and would think boys who took gun were needlessly wasting their lives but I was wrong. There is no option left but to fight.”
In an apparent message to his parents, he said that he was sorry that he has to get separated from them and was leaving without permission. “But I have to, otherwise I won’t be able to keep my head high when I meet Rizwan in the hereafter,” he added.
The state government has order a magisterial inquiry to ascertain the cause and circumstances that led to Rizwan Pandit's death, they said. Pandit a resident of Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, died during the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, a senior police officer said.
He was a teacher at a private school and was picked up by security agencies three days ago in connection with a terror case, the officer said.
(With inputs from News18 and PTI)
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