Missing Assam man Qamer Uzzaman radicalised in Philippines, claim police

GUWAHATI: Qamer Uzzaman, a missing man from Assam who is suspected to have joined the Hizbul Mujahideen, was radicalised in Philippines according to the state police.

“We stumbled upon evidence which suggest that Uzzaman was radicalised in Philippines,” Additional director general of Assam Police (special branch) Pallab Bhattacharya told ET.

"The radicalisation took place while he went missing. We are still waiting for confirmation from Jammu and Kashmir police on whether Uzzaman is associated with the terror outfit or not,” Bhattacharya said.


The young man from Hojai district in Assam was running a small business in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar. A photograph of him holding an automatic assault rifle has gone viral on social media with the caption that suggests he is now a member of Hizbul Mujahideen.

The caption says, "Org: Hizbul Mujahideen; Name: Qamer Uzzaman; S/O Ibrahim Zaman; R/O: Assam India; Code: Dr Hurairah; Qul: MA English."

On recognising him in the photograph, his mother said the government should shoot him dead for being a traitor. "Yes, he is my son Qamer. If he has joined the militant organisation, the government should shoot him dead as he is an enemy of the country. His body should be fed to animals. I don't need such a son. Such a person should not be living," she told reporters at her home.

Qamer has a masters in English and worked in the US from 2008 to 2012. Family members have not been able to contact him since July 2017. His wife and three-year old son were with him till he returned to drop them 10 months ago at Jamunamukh where he was constructing a house, his brother Mufidul said.

"I now don't consider him as my brother. He should be killed as he is a traitor. We won't allow even his body to be brought inside our house," Mufidul said.

He said Qamer had studied up to class 10 and is not an MA as claimed in the photo.