Taking PM Modi’s call, son of wanted Kashmiri militant hoists National Flag

Jammu and Kashmir: The son of one of the dreaded militants in the Kashmir Valley, whose head carries a reward of Rs 50 lakh, hoisted the Indian national flag at his house in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Har Ghar Tiranga movement on the eve Independence Day.

Adnan Butt, the son of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Mohammad Amin Butt alias Jahangir Saroori of Saroor village in Kishtwar district, not only expressed his regret for his father's actions but also urged him to renounce militancy and return.

A Class 12 student, Adnan wants to become a veterinary doctor and also hopes to contribute positively to society while distancing himself from the shadows of his father's past.

Saroori is said to be the longest surviving militant in the valley, having been active in the Chenab Valley region comprising Kishtwar, Dida and Ramban districts since the early 1990s.

Earlier, Sher Khan, a former militant of the Agarkar-ul-Jehad-I-Islami, unfurled the tricolour at his residence on January 25 on the eve of Republic Day.

After spending 13 years in captivity, Khan realized the futility of his militant pursuits and chose to embrace the mainstream. Khan, who now supports his family as an MGNREGA labourer, expressed deep remorse for the lost years and the impact of militancy on his loved ones.