Indian Muslim family battles terrorism allegations after teacher dies in shelling

Mohammad Iqbal, a teacher at a madrassa in Poonch, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), was killed on May 7 in cross-border shelling. The shelling occurred amid Indian military aggression against Pakistan, following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead. While India has blamed Pakistan for the incident, it has yet to present any concrete evidence.

In an interview with the BBC, Farooq Ahmed said that Iqbal died at Zia-ul-Uloom, where he had taught for over 20 years. However, as news of his death spread, some media outlets falsely labelled him a terrorist. These claims were later refuted by police in an official statement.

"My brother was an educator, yet they classified him as a terrorist just because of his beard and skullcap," Ahmed said.

"It felt like adding insult to injury. We had already lost Iqbal, and then the media tarnished his name. The deceased cannot defend themselves."

The locals have suffered through repeated escalations over the disputed territory of Kashmir, which is claimed by both India and Pakistan. Three wars have been fought over the region, and tensions have flared again this month.

During the military confrontation, a wave of misinformation spread across social media and news outlets. Alongside false rumours about Iqbal, several unverified claims surfaced, including fake attack reports and AI-generated videos, many of which were later debunked by official sources.

"The extent of misinformation and baseless assertions being circulated by the media was astonishing," states Manisha Pande, managing editor of an independent news outlet.

She notes that while sensationalism is not unusual, "the jingoistic and irresponsible reporting" was notable for its severity.

"I have no idea where news channels obtained their information regarding my brother," Ahmed states. 

"Who did they consult? What kind of evidence did they have to label my brother a terrorist?"

On May 8, Poonch police released a statement clarifying that Iqbal had died as a result of cross-border shelling at the madrassa.

“Poonch Police strongly denies such false narratives. The deceased, Maulana Mohd Iqbal, was a respected figure within the local community and had no links to any terrorist organization,” the statement read.

However, for Ahmed, the clarification came too late.

“By that time, the misleading claim would likely have reached millions of people across India,” he laments.

Iqbal leaves behind two wives and eight children. He was the sole breadwinner for the family.

"The entire family relied on my brother. He was a soft-spoken and kind man who cherished teaching children," Ahmed remembers.

"But who will convey this to the world? For many, my brother continues to be seen as a terrorist whose death is justified. How will they ever grasp our sorrow?" he added.