Srinagar: Security forces in J&K are going all out to track down a ‘dirty dozen’ of most-wanted commanders of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Muhammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba that includes four Pakistani militants, one of them a former soldier, IGP (Kashmir) range Vijay Kumar told TOI.
Top of the list is Pakistan-born Adnan Bhai alias Lambu, a Jaish operative said to be as tall as his list of militant activities is long. Waleed Bhai, another of the outfit’s bomb-making experts, is also categorised as an “A++” militant wanted for a series of terror attacks in south Kashmir. Former armyman Ghazi Rashid, who is one of the newer terror imports by Jaish from across the border, and Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Usman Bhai complete the Pakistani quartet.
Usman is said to be one of the two militants who opened fire on a CRPF patrol from inside a mosque at Model Town in Sopore on Wednesday, killing a head constable and a 65-year-old civilian who was passing by in a car with his three-year-old grandson.
“We have all the details of these A++ militants and efforts are on to get them soon,” IGP Kumar said.
Yousuf Kantroo alias Isseh Kantur, whom the police files describe as Lashkar’s “operational head, mastermind, planner and main recruiter from Budgam”, is currently the only Kashmir-born militant in the A++ category.
The other “local” names that are part of the list include Dr Saifullah alias Gazi Haider, who took over as Hizbul Mujahideen’s operational commander in the Valley after his predecessor Riyaz Naikoo was killed in an encounter with security forces on May 6. Hizb operatives Farooq Ahmad alias Farooq Nullay, Ashraf Maulvi and Zubair Wani and Lashkar militants Sajjad Ahmad, Ishfaq Dar and Nasir Ahmad are also on the security forces’ radar.
Ishfaq, who is from Shopian, was a constable with J&K Police posted in Rajouri till 2018. He deserted the force to join Lashkar and went on to become the outfit’s district commander in Shopian, where a series of terror attacks have taken place in recent months.
IGP Kumar said on Friday that the presence of militants in Srinagar district was primarily because of extortion and medical treatment. A CRPF trooper was killed late Thursday and another was injured in an encounter with militants at Malbagh on the outskirts of Srinagar. (TOI)
