The story of a dead Indian teacher who the media falsely marked the terrorist

Farook Ahmed still a bristle of anger when he talks about his brother’s death.

Mohammad Ikbal, Poonch city resident in Indian Diver Cashmir, died in cross-border shelling 7. May, morning after India has launched a series of airburns In Pakistan and Pakistan, who administered Kašmir in retaliation on a militant attack in the city of Pahalgam who killed 26 people. Pakistan denied to have any role in the attack.

Mr. Ahmed says that Ikbal died where more than two decades – Zia-ul-ulom, Madrassa or religious center focused on Islamic teachings, in Poonh.

But his death turned out, it was just the beginning of the problem of the family.

As news spread, several media channels falsely accused Ikbal that terrorist, which follows that the police presented a statement that is full of claims.

“My brother was a teacher, but they saw his beard and skull and mark him terrorist,” said Mr. Ahmed.

“It was like salt rubbed into our wounds. We lost the Ikbal and then the media was cheated. I can’t defend him.”

Indian officials say a total of 16 people, including Ikbal, were killed in cross-border shelling during a four-day military conflict that broke out between India and Pakistan after air attacks.

However, Pakistan claimed 40 civil cases, remains unclear how directly, it provoked that by shelling.

Two nuclear armed countries share a tense connection for decades, as well as both administrations of the Himalaian region of Kashmir partly, but you claim it’s entirely.

They fought three wars across Kashmir from independence from Britain in 1947. years and returned from the edge of another Earlier this month.

But as the military conflict escalated, the second battle played on social media – a War to misinformation of receivables and interpretation which circulated online and on TV.

Just as the rumors of the identity of ICBALA, other incorrect and incorrect information and found their way in some major news and sites.

This included receivables such as India who destroyed Pakistan’s Karachi Port, which later decunduated the Indian government.

Some other fabrications were harder to spot, such as AI general video of the Pakistani Army General Videos, claiming that his country lost two aircraft in combat.

“The disinformation and claims scale without the facts broadcast media was shocking,” says Manisha Pande, editor management in Newsaundry, independent news.

It notes that the degree of sensationalism is expected to compete for viewing, “Jingoist and irresponsible coverage” of conflicts were unprecedented in its intensity – and unlike anything that was previously witnessed.

No one knows better than Mr. Ahmed.

“I don’t know where the news channels received information about my brother,” says Mr. Ahmed.

“Who were they talking about? What did they have evidence that my brother was terrorist?” He asks.

Weeks later, the family continues to cheer out of the tragedy.

Mr. Ahmed says his brother left home for Madrassa in the morning as usual, but it was his body that returned home. By noon, they buried him in a nearby cemetery.

Family had no idea about misinformation that shared some newspaper limbs. They were busy with the performance of Ivabal last rites.

It was only a few hours later that the cousin received whatsapp forward – a video of prominent news channels that claims that the Indian army killed terrorist, and Ikbal’s photo flashing on the screen.

“We were shocked. We soon started getting more calls from people who were asking what was happening and why the media invited Ikbal terrorist,” says Mr. Ahmed.

The request shared some prominent channels, including Zee news, ABP and NEWS18. The BBC reached the comment channels.

One channel claimed that Ikbal was killed in the Indian strike in the terrorist camp “in Kashmir who gave Pakistan and was a terrorist with the Pakistani Group of Lashkar-E-Taiba.

“Members of our families were in Poon generations. How can I say that my brother lived in Pakistan? They should be ashamed,” said Mr. Ahmed.

The Prosecution against Ikbala was so widely and quickly circulated that 8. Maya, Police Poon set aside a statement, clarifying that Ikbal died in cross-border shelling in bordering border in the Madras border border.

“Poonch Police strongly rejects such false narrative. Malana Mohd Ikbal, was a reputable religious figure in the local community,” she did not say that the statement said that the legal media would be taken against any media.

But for Mr. Ahmed, the statement was too late too late.

“Until then, a false claim would already reach millions of people in India,” he says.

He adds that except one channel, news18, no one else has publicly apologized to him or spectators for an error.

Mr. Ahmed says he wants to take legal action against the channels, but the process would have to wait until the family struggles to meet.

Ikbal survived his two women and eight children. He was the only member of the earnings in his family.

Mr. Ahmed says the reimbursement of the given governments, which amounts to several million rupees, will only last year or two and must start planning the future now.

“The whole family depended on my brother. He was a quiet and tender man who liked learning children,” said Mr. Ahmed.

“But who will say that to the world? For many people, my brother is still a terrorist whose murder is justified. How will they understand our pain?”

Additional Aukib Reporting Javeed in Srinagar in Indian-Administered Cashmir

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