Srinagar: Pakistan-based terror outfit
Hizbul Mujahideen had claimed responsibility for the attack on
Lt Gen Bikram Singh in 2001 when he was a Brigadier in South
Kashmir, an incident which was in news recently when a woman
filed a petition in Jammu and Kashmir High Court seeking
reinvestigation.
According to a statement issued by the Hizbul Mujahideen
on March two, 2001 published in local media, the terror outfit
praised Ghulam Mohiudeen Rabbani alias "Mohiudeen Chacha" for
killing a colonel and seriously injuring Singh, who had to be
airlifted to Delhi for treatment.
However, a woman identfiied as Zaituna , who has filed a
writ petition, claimed that the man dubbed as Pakistani
militant was actually her son Abdullah Bhat, a daily wage
labourer.
The Hizbul Mujahideen`s statement had identified Rabbani
as a resident of Malakand in North West Frontier Province and
praised him for killing the Army officer and sacrificing his
own life to enable other terrorists to escape.
According to police investigation, Rabbani was a
54-year-old man on the day of encounter and a grenade had also
been recovered from his pouch.
The case was in news again after a petition was filed
before the High Court in October 2011 by Zaituma seeking
reinvestigation of the incident that took place on March 1,
2001 at Janglat Mandi in Anantnag district of Kashmir.
Brigadier Bikram Singh, now a Lt Gen, was passing through
Janglaat Mandi opposite the government hospital in Anantnag in
a convoy on the day of the incident. He was returning from a
visit to Khandroo village.
Colonel J P Jaanu, commanding officer of the 120
Territorial Army battalion, and another soldier were killed on
the spot.
The High Court while hearing the petition on October 27,
2011, had directed the state government, Defence Ministry and
Superintendent of Police Anantnag to file their response
before next date of hearing scheduled for second week of
February.
According to the fresh police investigation, Rabbani had
carried out the attack with the help of other terrorists after
properly monitoring the activity of Brigadier Singh, official
sources said.
The sources said that Rabbani had even stayed in
counter-insurgency camp in the guise of a surrendered militant
to carry out the planning to attack the army officers.
The then Home Minister of the state Ali Mohammed Sagar
had also replied in the state legislative assembly after the
incident that a Pakistani national Mohi-ud-din, in the guise
of a beggar, opened fire on army officers and others at
Janglat Mandi in Anantnag resulting in the killings.
PTI
