Srinagar, April 17: A man dubbed Kashmir’s oldest “militant” and killed by the army on Wednesday has turned out to be a beggar, prompting the embarrassed security wing to modify its claim. Defence spokesperson Lt Colonel J.S. Brar had said the army had killed an elderly “militant” in Pahaldagi village of Handwara in North Kashmir in a “joint operation” with police and seized an AK-47 rifle from him. The police had put his age at 65 but distanced themselves from the operation. The army today altered its statement, this time claiming the deceased “was being exploited” by the militants. “This was a group of terrorists and possibly the deceased was being exploited as a guide or human shield. It is believed that the weapon and ammunition recovered was possibly dropped by the fleeing terrorists,” the spokesperson said today.

A family from Devar Lolaab in Kupwara has identified the slain person as Habib-ullah Khan, a beggar who had left his home a day earlier. Tahir Khan, the nephew of the deceased, said the family became worried when he did not return home.

“We were later told that a picture has appeared in local dailies, bearing a stark resemblance to my uncle. He could barely walk and we were shocked to learn that he had been dubbed a militant,” he said. The family approached the district collector of Kupwara, Showkat Ahmad Mir, today with an appeal to exhume the body.