A youngster from the city died in Syria three months ago after he reportedly joined Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. He went to Syria from London where he was pursuing higher studies.
Though 26-year-old Mohd. Ateef Wasim died more than a month ago and his family living here knew about it then, others learnt about it only a couple of days ago.
Wasim’s father Mohd. Aleem, a businessman hailing from Manchiryal of Adilabad district, settled here a few years ago. along with three sons and a daughter. Wasim completed B.Tech from a minority college here in 2011 and left for London to pursue M.S. programme. He secured the degree from Greenwich University.
In touch with family
He was regularly in touch with his family and in 2013 told them that he was going to Dubai in search of job. “The last time he spoke to them was in December 2014. He informed them that he was in Syria, but didn’t explain why he was there,” intelligence official sources said.
On March 23, 2015, Wasim’s father received a cryptic message on his mobile phone stating that his son had died in Syria.
The message came from a nine-digit phone number without specifying the nature of his death.
Intelligence officials in Hyderabad got wind of it and got it confirmed from the father.
“We are already dejected, please don’t ask any questions,” Aleem told this correspondent when contacted for details. Wasim was the second of Aleem’s three sons. Police believe youngsters joining the IS usually leave their contact numbers with some persons who pass on the information to the respective families in case of emergency.
“He might have died in some air strike. We’re trying to trace the number through which Wasim’s family got the message,” police said.
