Conflict

‘Slain LeT commander was a talented cricketer who participated in many Army sponsored events’

Shopian: Waseem Ahmed Shah, the Lashkar-e-Taiba District Commander of Shopian who along with his scholar associate was killed in a gun fight at Littar village on Saturday was a talented cricketer popularly known as Wasim Akram among his friend circle as his bowling action that matched yesteryears Pakistani speed star.

“His bowling action perfectly matched Wasim Akram’s. He was our front line left arm bowler and always a wicket taker,” his team mates recalled while speaking to CNS.

They also revealed that before joining militancy in 2014, Shah used to run his own shop.

“Shah, 23, also known as ‘Abu Osama Bhai’ was neither a stone pelter nor did he show any interest in militancy. Cricket was his only passion and in fact he participated in different cricket tournaments that were organized and sponsored by Indian Army,” they said.

“Waseem also participated in inter-district cricket tournaments,” his friends told CNS.

A college dropout, Shah, a resident of Heff-Shrimal in Shopian, joined militancy in 2014 while his friends and family claim that he the path to avoid continuous harassment from police.

“He belonged to a well-off family while his father was an orchardist, earning good money,” they said.

Shortly after joining militancy, according to police Shah became the ‘Don of Heff’ and carried out multiple attacks on Government Forces.

During the encounter, clashes erupted near the gunfight site in which a civilian was killed and twenty others were injured.

(With inputs from CNS)

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