KS Correspondent

Security forces in Kashmir valley have launched a campaign to decimate the notorious terrorist outfit, Hizbul Mujahideen. This outfit is largely believed to be the armed wing of the fundamentalist Jamaat-Islami.

The first notable success was achieved, when it killed a top Hizb activist, Anwar Aftab Shah in an encounter at Pampore on March 6.

Anwar Aftab Andrabi alias Imtiaz alias Farooq of Drusoo, ‘the battalion commander" of Tariq Aziz group of Hizbul Mujahideen had been planning, as per police, a major strike on gas turbine, an oil depot and bottling plant of Hindustan Petroleum at Tulla Bagh, Pampore. His area of operation ranged from Pampore to Badami Bagh cantonment in Srinagar. Lately he had carried out an unsuccessful attack on SHO Pampore, Pritam Singh. He and other four policemen were injured in the grenade and firing attack. Andrabi had earlier killed a number of civilians, mainstream politicians, counter-insurgents and police personnel. They included his fellow villager, an employee of State Health department, Rasheed Andrabi of Drusoo on 23/6/1999, Ikhwan activist Jalaluddin of Khrew on 5/7/99, Bashir Ahmed, a SPO of Khrew on 4/8/99 and a tailor Mushtaq Ganai and Habibullah Ganai of Sambora in March last. SOG and BSF also arrested Abdul Aziz Hajam alias Tariq from his hideout in Romu Karewa on March 8.

Another Hizbul terrorist, Gh Qadir Banday of Sheikhbagh, Sallar (Pahalgam) was eliminated by 3 BN of RR on March 28 in an encounter. At least 3 terrorists escaped. In the encounter soldier Dinesh Chand was killed, while 2 others were injured.

At Babademb, Khnyar in downtown Srinagar city, on April 10, militants hurled a grenade and opened fire on a police party. The attack caused injuries to the SHO MR Gunj. In the retaliatory attack, the police killed Naseer-ullah Malik, self-styled "divisional commander" of Hizbul Mujahideen. A pistol, a wireless set and a grenade were recovered from the site. The body of another Hizb militant, Gulzar Ahmed was recovered at Ganderbal the same evening.

However, the most notable success the security forces achieved was the elimination of Hamid Gadda alias Bombar Khan at Sheikhpora and a group of foreign mercenaries at Tsuntwaliwar, Larmarg in Ganderbal area. Gadda was closely connected with this foreign mercenaries group.

Bambar Khan, has been described as the "most dangerous militant" in the Chief Minister’s constituency of Ganderbal. He targetted Ikhwanis, sources of security forces as also political activists in Ganderbal, Kangan, Sumbal, Sonawari, Hajan, Safapora and even upto Bandipore. His special targets were police and military personnel. During Kargil war, he had blown several Army vehicles on Kangan--Sonamarg highway and Wangat-Kangan road. Gada had also masterminded a large number of IED attacks on security forces.On March 5 this year he was involved in an attack at Rashtriya Rifles post at Badampora in Mansbal, in which some army personnel were killed.

Gada also terrorised Kashmiri Pandits living in his area of operation. According to the state police, Gada was mastermind behind the Wandhama carnage in which 26 Kashmiri Pandits were killed, nine of them women and four young children. Intriguingly, the NHRC report on Wandhama carnage submitted by Mr Sankar Sen has not been allowed to see the light of the day. The other reported killings of Pandits by Gada include two Kashmiri Pandits at Waskoora in Ganderbal and Janki Nath at Sumbal. In the aftermath of Wandhama massacre, some politicians, as per media reports, tried to protect him, by insinuating that the massacre was carried out by the Army.

Hamid Gada was the "Divisional Commander" of Hizbul Mujahideen and in-charge of operations in Srinagar, Ganderbal and Bandipore areas of Central Kashmir. Being son of a fisherman, Hamid was nicknamed ‘Gada’. After the expulsion of Kashmiri Pandits, his father Khaliq Bhat arranged the needed items for prayer for those occasional yatris who visited Khir Bhawani, Tulmulla shrine.

Like many other Kashmiris, Gada was influenced by the fascist brand of Islamic fundamentalism preached by Jamaat-Islami.His fanatical devotion saw him reach to the top rungs of its armed wing -- the Hizbul Mujahideen.

Acknowledged as a dreaded terrorist, Hameed Gada had reportedly escaped from the cordoned areas over a dozen times, while inflicting casaulties on security forces. Gada had killed over 100 people. Until Kukka Parray’s emergence as an alternate pole of power in 1995, Hameed Gada had been a low-profile "upper-ground" activist. A number of his associates either laid down arms or were eliminated by Parray’s Ikhwan with the help of Army. In 1994, he was disarmed by some of his collegues in his own area. Hamid crossed over to Pakistan and received special training in laying landmines. Back to the Valley in 1995, Gada surfaced like a phoenix and eliminated most of the Kuka Parray’s men. He struck terror in the area and in the elections in Ganderbal, polling was just ten percent. Gada played significant role in reorganising the pro-Pakistan militants and coordinating the activities of Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Mujahideen-e-Albadar alongwith his confidante, Bulla Hajam, who was killed last year. Hamid Gada got a major setback last month, when Gul Naid, his associate was killed in an encounter with the army.

As his terror campaign enlarged, many myths began to surround him. One such myth was that since he visited Tulmulla Shrine quite often, he was able to give slip to security forces everytime. Even the security forces were cautious in hunting for him. Another myth that was assiduously floated was that Gada could remain in water for hours together. And many would believe it, because the security forces had failed to track him down.

Police were after him and blamed him for killing of Head Constable Bashir Ahmed at Rabitar bridge, then SHO Kangan Gh. Mohd. Shah, six armymen at Nagbal and nine persons in Narayan Bagh including NC Block President, Mohideen Merazi and Asadullah Kambay of Wakoora in different incidents.

The police hated him. It was no surprise when a Kashmiri Muslim constable, risked his life to tip the security forces about his presence. On March 13, this local constable walked into SOG’s Ganderbal office, with precise information and reported that this notorious terrorist alongwith his two accomplices Mohd. Abdullah alias Marshal, also from Tulmulla and Maqbool Sheikh, again from the Ganderbal area were relaxing in the basement of a house in Sheikhpora. Interestingly, Gada’s brother is a SPO, who works with an anti-terrorist unit of J&K Police.

The alertness of SP (operations) Jagtar Singh and prompt action sealed the fate of Gada. With just 15 men, the SOG unit blocked Gadas, escape. Earlier SOG had missed him by minutes on over a dozen times. Soon the reinforcements from Rashtriya Rifles 5 BN and 13 BN cordoned the village Sheikhpora, 3 kms from Ganderbal at 5 PM. On seeing the police, the terrorists opened fire on them, that triggered an encounter, lasting over five hours. The basement hideout had been heavily reinforced. Finally the basement was blown-up, using explosives. Seven assault rifles, a gun equipped to throw grenades, a night-vision device and 60 kg of RDX were discovered in the basement. All the three terrorists holed-up inside were killed. Mohd Abdullah was "battalion commander" of the outfit. Hizbul Mujahideen described Gada’s killing a major setback. By killing Gada the security forces have been able to shatter the myth of the invincibility surrounding the most wanted terrorist of Hizbul Mujahideen. Gada carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh on his head, while Mohd Abdullah carried reward of Rs 2 lakh on his head. Gada was the chief coordinator of all the activities of Hizbul Mujahideen, Al-Badr, Harkat and Lashkar outfits in the area. It was he who distributed finances, arms and ammunition to different outfits in Srinagar, Ganderbal and Bandipora areas.

Close on this success, SOG and Rashtriya Rifles wiped out another group active in the adjoining area on the next day. A local informer tipped RR’s Kilo Force, which laid siege to Hilnaar locality near Tsuntwaliwar, Lar on March 13 night. They swooped on the militant hideout. Fierce encounter lasted several hours.