News Analysis India

Tag: Hizbul Mujahideen

  • Jammu and Kashmir govt sacks four employees including son of Hizb chief Syed Salahuddin

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir administration Saturday sacked its four employees including son of Syed Salahuddin, the chief of banned Hizbul Mujahideen, and the wife of terror-funding accused Bitta Karate, officials said.

    All four employees were dismissed from service under Article 311 of the Constitution which enables the government to sack its employees without an inquiry.

    Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate is currently in judicial custody in terror funding cases, officials said.

    His wife Assabah-ul-Arjamand Khan, a Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Services officer, was posted in the Directorate of Rural Development.

    Syed Abdul Mueed, Manager, Information and Technology at Department of industries and Commerce, is son of Syed Salahuddin, the Pakistan-based chief of banned terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.

    The others dismissed are: Dr Muheet Ahmad Bhat, Scientist; and Majid Hussain Qadiri (senior Assistant Professor) in Kashmir University.

    SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir administration Saturday sacked its four employees including son of Syed Salahuddin, the chief of banned Hizbul Mujahideen, and the wife of terror-funding accused Bitta Karate, officials said.

    All four employees were dismissed from service under Article 311 of the Constitution which enables the government to sack its employees without an inquiry.

    Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate is currently in judicial custody in terror funding cases, officials said.

    His wife Assabah-ul-Arjamand Khan, a Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Services officer, was posted in the Directorate of Rural Development.

    Syed Abdul Mueed, Manager, Information and Technology at Department of industries and Commerce, is son of Syed Salahuddin, the Pakistan-based chief of banned terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.

    The others dismissed are: Dr Muheet Ahmad Bhat, Scientist; and Majid Hussain Qadiri (senior Assistant Professor) in Kashmir University.

  • Former Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist arrested by SIA in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda

    By PTI

    JAMMU: A former Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) terrorist was arrested by the State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Tuesday for remaining in touch with Kashmir-based militants and carrying out many terror activities in Doda, officials said.

    “SIA team that was deputed to Doda arrested ex-HM terrorist Abdul Rashid code Arsalan from Tantna-Ghat area,” an SIA officer told PTI.

    The former terrorist was involved in a case of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in Jammu in 2010, he said.

    The SIA team was directed to identify the terrorist involved in the FIR and after strenuous efforts, the team arrested him, the officials said.

    As the ex-terrorist was active during 2009-2010 and was in constant touch with Kashmir-based Hizbul terrorists and carried out many terrorist activities in Doda valley, which will be further unfolded during the investigation of the said case, they said.

  • Hizbul Mujahideen Operational commander among two militants killed in J&K’s Kulgam gunfight

    Express News Service

    SRINAGAR: The operational commander of Hizbul Mujahideen was among two militants killed in an overnight gunfight with security forces at Chawalgam area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

    A police official said “one militant was killed in the gunfight on Thursday while another was killed in the firefight on Friday early morning.”

    He identified the deceased militants as Shiraz Molvi and Yawar Bhat, both belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen.

    According to police official, Shiraz Molvi was A++ categorized militant and was active since 2016.

    “Shiraz was Hizb’s operational commander for Kashmir,” he said, adding 19 FIRs were registered against him.

    The official further said Yawar had joined militancy in March this year and two FIRs were registered against them.

    The joint contingent of police, CRPF and army had launched a search operation in Chawalgam area of Kulgam yesterday after receiving inputs about the presence of militants there.

    Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar said the militant killed in last evening’s encounter at Bemina area of Srinagar has been identified as Aamir Riyaz R/o Khrew, Pulwama.

    He was affiliated with militant outfit Mujahideen Gazwatul Hind and was a relative of one of the accused of February 14, 2019 Lethpora militant attack in which 40 CRPF men were killed, the IGP said.

    “Aamir was assigned the task to carry out a fidayeen attack,” the IGP said.

  • Two members of Hizbul Mujahideen’s hit squad neutralised

    Express News Service

    SRINAGAR:  Two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, who were part of a hit squad, were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Khrew area of Pampore in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Friday. A police official said a joint search operation was launched in Khrew based on specific information on the presence of terrorists. After plugging all the possible escape routes, the security forces zeroed-in on a residential house they were holed in. 

    “The terrorists were given many opportunities to surrender. However, they turned down the offer and fired indiscriminately. The fire was returned by the troops, triggering an encounter,” he said. An army official said around 6:30 am, one militant tried to escape from the house by firing at the troops. “He, however, was killed in the ensuing gunfight,” the official added.

    “The second terrorists continued to fire from the house but could not move out. He also was killed in the encounter in the morning,” he said. One AK-47, one pistol and other equipment were recovered from the terrorists, he said. The police identified the slain terrorists as Musaib Ahmad Bhat of Khrew, and Muzamil Ahmad Rather of Pulwama.

    He said both the terrorists were part of Hizb’s ‘hit squad’ and Musaib was involved in the killing of a government employee on July 23. Meanwhile, Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh told security officials to intensify cordon and search operations to eliminate the remaining terrorists.

    He directed the officers to further strengthen and augment intelligence apparatus as well as security grids in their respective areas for the safety and security of the people. The DGP also directed the officers to revisit the security plans of their respective jurisdictions and remain extra alert as militant outfits were continuously trying to foment trouble and disturb the peace.

    The officers briefed the DGP about the measures taken on different fronts with regard to the safety and security of the people of J-K, a spokesman for the police said.

    Omar concerned over spate in attacksFour political workers and the nephew of a political worker have been killed by terrorists in four attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in the last 11 days. The attacks have caused fear among the political workers and former J&K CM and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah said the renewed trend of targeting politicians by is very worrying. The J&K Apni Party leader  Ghulam Hassan Lone was shot dead outside his house at Devsar in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district. It was the 4th attack on the political activists in J&K since August 9. Of the four attacks, three have taken place in south Kashmir’s Anantnag and Kulgam districts and one attack took place in Kandli area of Rajouri in Jammu

  • Hizbul Mujahideen militant nabbed in Kulgam

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: Security forces have arrested a Hizbul Mujahideen militant in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Friday.

    The arrest happened after the forces launched a cordon and search operation in Frisal area of Kulgam following information about the presence of militants in the area, a police spokesman said.

    “During the search, an active categorized terrorist, Zakir Bhat, of proscribed terror outfit HM was arrested. Investigations reveal that Zakir Bhat is basically a resident of Kulgam district and living in Shopian since last 8 years,” the spokesman said.

    He said that incriminating material including arms and ammunition have also been recovered from his possession.

    A case has been registered and further investigation is in progress, the officer said.

    Meanwhile, militants opened fire on security forces during a cordon and search operation at Usmanabad-Warpora in Sopore Police district, the spokesman said.

    He said the militants escaped from the spot after a brief exchange of fire.

    “Reinforcements of security forces arrived and nearby orchard has been cordoned. The search operation is going on,” he added.

  • Separatists in PoK making attempts to foment trouble in Kashmir: Officials 

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: Peeved over the silence of leaders of separatist groups, their factions in Pakistan and in occupied-Kashmir are making desperate attempts to foment trouble in Jammu and Kashmir by giving calls from across the border for ‘bandhs’ and strikes to mark the death anniversary of Mirwaiz Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone, officials said on Thursday.

    The death anniversary of both the leaders falls on Friday.

    Farooq and Lone were killed by terrorists of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen in 1990 and 2002 for opposing growing gun culture in the Kashmir Valley. They were both considered advocates of finding a lasting solution through peaceful means.

    Officials keeping a watch on developments in the union territory as well as monitoring activities of separatists and terror activities from across the border, noted that a release issued by the Awami Action Committee (AAC) earlier this week had urged people to pray for Mirwaiz Farooq at their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The AAC is being headed by Umer Farooq, who is the son of the assassinated religious leader and an anointed Mirwaiz or religious head.

    However, peeved over this continued approach of not holding protests or giving ‘hartal’ calls, the faction of the moderate Hurriyat Conference in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir on Wednesday issued a release calling for total shutdown besides holding demonstrations.

    Separatists in Jammu and Kashmir have been maintaining a low profile after a series of raids by the Income Tax Department, the National Investigation Agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate.

    The agencies have questioned their funding pattern and even booked several second-rung leaders for indulging in anti-India activities.

    Mirwaiz Farooq was shot dead by three terrorists on May 21, 1990, and it was conspired by then so-called commander of banned Hizbul Mujahideen Abdualla Bangroo.

    Abdul Gani Lone was shot dead on the same day in 2002 at an Eidgah when he was on his way to pay homage to Farooq Mirwaiz.

    What these two killings had in common was that both these leaders wanted Pakistan to stop aiding terror groups in the Valley, the officials said.

    In the later part of 2000, Lone during a meeting had made it clear to the then Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf that Islamabad should stop arming terror groups in Kashmir, the officials said citing records of investigations carried out.

    Lone before his assassination had indicated to the Pakistani establishment and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) during a meeting in Dubai that he would be participating in the assembly elections that were slated to be held in 2002, they said.

    However, before he could announce the same, he was silenced by the terrorists.

    Lone’s difference of opinion with the Pakistani establishment and continued rift with the ISI was becoming a major obstacle for Islamabad’s Kashmir policy and his soft corner for democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir resulted in his assassination, the officials said.

    The assassination seen as a warning to other Kashmiri leaders not to entertain any thoughts of entering electoral processes, they said.

    Former chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, Abdul Gani Bhat, whose brother was also shot dead by terrorists, had said in one of his media interviews that “Lone sahib, Mirwaiz Farooq were not killed by the army or the police. They were targeted by our own people.”

    He had said about the non-involvement of the Indian government, and about indication of an ‘insider job’ pointing towards the involvement of Pakistan-supported non-state actors.

  • Hizbul Mujahideen militant among two killed in Jammu and Kashmir encounter

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: A Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant, who had infiltrated from Pakistan last week, was among the two ultras killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district on March 27, police said on Sunday.

    Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said the encounter in Shopian’s Wangam area began on Saturday evening and got over with the killing of two militants belonging to HM and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

    “Two deadly terrorists have been killed in the operation. One of them, Inatullah Sheikh, a resident of Shopian, was active since 2018 and had gone to Pakistan that year for arms training. He returned last week only. He was with HM,” the IGP said here.

    The other militant, Adil Malik, a resident of Anantnag, belonged to LeT, he said.

    “One AK-47 rifle, one M4 rifle and a pistol have been recovered from the encounter site,” he said, adding that so far this year, security forces have recovered two M4 rifles from militants.

    The IGP said it was more likely that Sheikh had brought the M4 rifle with him from Pakistan.

    A police spokesperson said Malik, according to police records, was active since September 2020.

    He said Sheikh and Malik were involved in several terror cases, including attacks on security forces and civilian atrocities.

    After the presence of the militants was ascertained during the search operation, they were given an opportunity to surrender, the spokesperson said.

    However, they opened indiscriminate fire on the search party that retaliated, leading to the encounter, he said.

    The spokesperson said three Army jawans sustained bullet injuries during the initial exchange of fire and were evacuated to the hospital.

    One of the jawans, Havildar Pinku Kumar, succumbed to his injuries.

    The IGP Kashmir and all ranks of Kashmir Zone Police paid rich tributes to Kumar, he said.

    “We stand by his family at this critical juncture,” he said.

  • Police arrest 7 overground workers of Hizbul Mujahideen from J&K’s Shopian

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: Police on Saturday said they have arrested seven overground workers (OGWs) of terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen from Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir.

    “Shopian Police arrested seven terrorist associates linked with proscribed terrorist outfit HM,” the police said in a tweet.

    They said incriminating materials were seized from the possession of the arrested persons.

    A case has been registered and a probe is on.

  • J-K Police busts terrorist hideout of Hizbul Mujahideen in Awantipora

    By ANI
    AWANTIPORA: A terrorist hideout of proscribed terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen was busted and destroyed in Awantipora, police said on Wednesday.

    “Upon information of terrorist hideout in the forest area of Seer/Pastoona, Police along with 42 RR and 180 Bn CRPF launched a search operation in the said area. During search one hideout of the proscribed outfit, Hizbul Mujahideen was busted and subsequently destroyed,” read a release by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

    The police said the size of the hideout is approximately 5 feetx7 feetx4 feet.

    Incriminating material of proscribed outfit Hizbul Mujahideen and other materials including utensils, food items have been recovered from the hideout.

    All the material has been taken into police custody for investigation purpose, police said.

    A case under relevant sections of law has been registered at Tral police station. 

  • Three Hizbul overground workers arrested in Jammu and Kashmir’s Tral; IED components seized

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: Security forces have arrested three overground workers linked with the Hizbul Mujahideen and seized materials used in improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from their possession, police said on Wednesday.

    Based on specific input regarding movement of terrorists, the forces launched an operation in Batagund and Dadsara villages of Tral and arrested the three terrorist associates, a police spokesperson said.

    They have been identified as Shafat Ahmad Sofi, Majid Mohammad Bhat and Umer Rashid Wani, he said.

    As per police records, they were involved in providing shelter, logistics and transportation for arms and ammunition to active Hizbul terrorists in Tral and Awantipora, he said.

    Incriminating materials, including eight electric detonators, seven anti-mechanism switches, three pressure/relay mechanism switches, an improvised switch and an anti-mine wireless antenna were recovered from the house of one of the arrested persons, the spokesperson added.