Hizbul ultras had created terror for a decade in south Kashmir

Srinagar: The two Hizbul Mujahideen militants, killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Kashmir last week, had unleashed a reign of terror in the south Kashmir belt for over a decade, targeting local army jawans, panchayat members, civilians and even an Imam, a senior police official has said.

"Sajad Ahmed Mir and Mohammed Ashraf Molvi, who were eliminated at Wandena village in Shopian on Saturday, had brought misery to poor households in south Kashmir particularly Pulwama and Shopian districts as most of their victims belonged to economically weaker sections of society," said the police official, who did not wish to be named. He said the duo was involved in several killings, dating back to 2005, in Pulwama and Zainapora area of South Kashmir. "On May 11 this year, the duo killed 30-year-old Imam of a local Masjid Mudasir Ahmad Mir at Lassipora. He was the sole bread earner of his family that includes his old father and three minor children whose future has been consigned to darkness," the officer said. He said Sarpanch Ghulam Mohammad Lone, who was killed inside his home at Kulpora in Pulwama on April 9 this year, was another victim of the two militants. "Lone, a poor farmer, has left behind two unmarried daughters and a son, who is a student," he added. The son is now contemplating quitting studies to support his sisters. According to investigations, Ashraf was also involved in kidnapping and killing of an 18-year-old taxi driver Maroof Ahmad Rather in Litter area of Pulwama in 2005. "During the trial of the case, the father of the deceased youth, Ghulam Mohammad Rather, deposed against Ashraf for being involved in his son?s killing. The militant had by then teamed up with Sajad Mir in Hizb and later shot dead Ghulam Mohammad also in 2010," the officer said. The duo was also involved in the 2010 killing of a political worker Ghulam Nabi Wani at Chakoora in Pulwama. "Their involvement has also been established in the killing Mehraj-u-Din Ganie son of Ghulam Hassan resident of Chandgam, Pulwama, who was an army jawan," the official said. The reason for the killing was to instill fear among the youth so that they don`t join army. "A large number of youth in South Kashmir turn up to join the Army, which was not liked by these dreaded militants," he said. The militants were also involved in killing of Mohammad Ayub Wani at Kakapora in Pulwama in 2011. According to the intelligence agencies, Sajad Mir was self styled Divisional Commander and financial chief of Hizbul Mujahideen for South Kashmir, while Ashraf was District Commander of the outfit. Mir, who was operating under the aliases `Tajamul` and `Jameel Saani`, joined the Lashkar-e-Toiba militant outfit in January 2009 but later changed loyalty to Hizb. Rather alias Molvi joined militant ranks in 2005 when he was in class 10th. After being associated with militants he was arrested two years later. He was sent to Central Jail, Srinagar for 18 months and later released. He joined militant ranks under Abdul Rehman alias Rehman Bhai, a Pakistani militant of LeT, who was later killed in an encounter with security forces. In March 2011, Rather also joined Hizb due to differences with LeT militants. PTI