-Deepak Zazia-
JAMMU: In the month of July in 2015, when a group of new breed of tech-savvy Kashmiri terrorists, brandishing automatic weapons, appeared on social sites under the leadership of Burhan Wani, it was widely perceived that this new trend of romanticising and glorifying terror would lure more and more educated Kashmiri youth into militancy to give oxygen to the dying “Jihad” in Kashmir Valley. Anti-national forces and other separatist groups in Kashmir Valley tried to portray Burhan Wani as an “ideal” for Kashmiri youth.
But, within a period of just 11 months, Wani’s group has been gradually and virtually wiped out from South Kashmir, from where this gang was posting videos and pictures on social sites to lure naïve and gullible youth.
Twelve terrorists in Army fatigues brandishing AK assault rifles in the group picture had appeared on social media in the month of July 2015 and 11 months later four were eliminated and one was apprehended by the Army. Among the survivors is Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) head Burhan Wani-a class 10th drop-out, who lured educated youth to join his terror outfit.Most of the members of Burhan’s gang were either killed or arrested by the security forces in the past 11 months because after their ‘larger than life’ pictures appeared on social sites, a comprehensive campaign was launched to track down all of them.
This group received a big blow on May 28, 2016 when Tariq Ahmed Pandit, a close aide of Burhan Wani was nabbed during an operation on Newa- Pinglana Road of Pulwama by the security forces. The Army spokesman has reason to call it a big blow to Hizbul Mujahidin because Pandit was instrumental in orchestrating terror attacks and recruit youth into HM.
And furthermore, Tariq became first terrorist from the “group photograph” of Burhan gang to be nabbed alive by the security forces. Tariq, 25, was one of the terrorists who featured with Burhan Wani in the group photograph.
Among the militants, who also featured with Wani in the photograph, was Naseer Ahmad Pandit, a friend of Tariq. After serving as a security guard at former PDP Minister Syed Altaf Bukhari’s residence in Srinagar, Naseer decamped with two rifles and along with Tariq joined the militant ranks of Wani last year.
Naseer along with other terrorists of same group photo was eliminated by the security forces in the month of April this year in Shopian area of South Kashmir during a joint operation of security forces.
Over the past 11 months, a majority of terrorists of this group, including Afaq Bhat and Bilal Bhat who also joined militant ranks with Tariq, have been eliminated in different encounters in areas of South Kashmir. With the arrest of Tariq, the security agenices have for now managed a breakthrough in the Pulwama and other areas of South Kashmir where these terrorists have set up their hideouts.
“Based on specific intelligence input regarding the move of a HM terrorist on the Neva – Pinglana Road near Karimabad, Pulwama a joint mobile vehicle check post was established by Army and JKP in the morning hours” Col NN Joshi, defence spokesperson of Kashmir briefed the press after arresting the terrorist on May 28, this year.
According to Joshi, the terrorist's movement was kept under constant surveillance. “As the terrorist closed in, he was apprehended by the team of Rashtriya Rifle Battalion, along with one 9 mm pistol, two Chinese grenades and other war like stores were recovered from the terrorist,” he said.
Tariq, who was involved in several terror-related incidents in Pulwama area, has been handed over to the local Police for further investigation. Tariq’s arrest proved to be detrimental for the terror outfit because within 48 hours after his nabbing, another terrorist belong to “poster boy” Bahuran’s group was nabbed on May 31.
Noor Mohammad Dar son of Abdul Aziz Dar of Gulshanpora is the second Burhan aide who was arrested during the one week operation. Last week, Tariq Pandit was arrested from Pulwama. On the information provided by Tariq, security forces have busted four hideouts so far and recovered large quantity of arms and ammunition.
Burhan Wani, the self-styled commander of Hizbul Mujahiden outfit, who was rampantly using social media in an attempt to get terrorism resurged in Kashmir Valley, received first set back in the month of November 2015 when four members of his group photo gang were eliminated by the security forces.
Since November, this gang has been receiving one after the other blow as security forces have stepped up attack on these new breed of terrorists, who had romanticised and glorified terror to lure more and more gullible Kashmiri youth.
Anti-national forces had effectively misused social media during 2008 and 2010 . Burhan gang has adopted this mechanism to reach out to the youth because keeping in view the demography of Valley, youth are hyperactive on social media. The new militant brigade led by Burhan utilised social media to romanticise terror by uploading videos and pictures as they were very much aware that social media has become a fertile recruitment ground. But, using media appears to be proved counter-productive for these terrorists.
According to security agencies, Burhan has gone underground and has been not using social media since April this year. “Fearing for his life, he has gone into hiding with the help of local support,” said an Army source when asked about reports of Burhan having crossed over to Pakistan.
After a number of photographs and videos of Burhan gang appeared on the society media, security forces were on a look out for Burhan and his group and by rampantly taking to social media Burhan had become vulnerable to security forces.
Burhan, who carries a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head, has tried to romanticise and glorify militancy via social media to allure naïve and gullible Kashmiris.
Unlike other terror outfits, Burhan’s group never operated as a cohesive unit and its members operated in groups of twos or threes and then met to devise further strategy but the security forces were tipped off about separate movements of this groups’ members. Since August last year security forces have been quick and fast on developing intelligence inputs about Burhan and his associates.
In Kashmir the 22 years old Hizbul Commander and his new breed of young terrorists were believed to be hiding in the forests of Tral, around 12 kms from the National Highway connecting the Valley with rest of India.
In recent times the UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) were also used to map the jungles in Tral in South Kashmir.
(The writer is a Jammu based
correspondent)
