Shabir Khan
The inspector General of Jammu Kashmir Police on Tuesday said that Abdul Gani Khwaja, the chief of Al Badr Militant outfit has been killed in the encounter that raged on Tuesday evening in Sopore’s Tujjer Shareef area.
Abdul Gani Khawaja son of Mukhtar Ahmed Khawaja resident of Kralgund in North Kashmir’s Kupwara had joined the Militant ranks on 28 June 2018.
Khwaja initially joined the Hizb ul Mujahideen and was later transferred to Al Badr which security agencies believe work in coordination with each other. The outfit Al Badr one of the prominent organizations of the 90s started recruiting youth in 2017 and in 2018 Zeenat ul Islam was shifted to Al Badr from Hizb to strengthen the organization.
After the death of several commanders, Abdul Gani Khwaja rose to the top brass of Al Badr, Sources told The Kashmiriyat. “He had escaped several cordons laid especially for him and he was known for his guerrilla tactics, he often used to roam alone and would hardly have any accomplices with him.”
The security forces accuse him of carrying several attacks on government forces in the North Kashmir belt and also recruiting several youths into Militant outfits. The IGP has said that the killing of Khwaja is a major success for security forces, this operation was carried cleanly on a very specific input that was received by police today.
The news of his killing spread several times during encounters earlier too.
Having joined Militant outfit in 2018, Khwaja now was one of the oldest Militants in the Kashmir valley.
Khwaja is also believed to have worked as an upper ground for several years. His killing is being termed as a major success by Government Forces.
A top official told The Kashmiriyat that Khawaja was an A+ Category Militant who ex-filtrated to Pakistan in the year 2000 for training and returned back in the year 2002 after obtaining Arms training.
Khwaja remained active with the Al-Badr outfit in the jurisdiction of P.D Handwara and its adjoining area up to the year 2007.
The official said that Khawaja was arrested by Police Baramulla in 2007 and released in the year 2008. After his release, Khawaja was accused and booked under various stone pelting cases.
Khawaja was also detained under the PSA in case FIR No.03/2008 of P/S Kralgund in a stone-pelting incident.
During the month of January 2018 Khawaja Re-Cycled and joined the HM outfit and was operating in Qaziabad, Rafiabad and Sopore areas along with his associates.
“Being a local he was well versed about the topography of the area and instigated the youth for radicalization and motivates to join militancy in this area,” the official said.
He said that Khawaja created a strong OGW network in the area and was the main threat to Political workers, Panchs, Sarpanchs of this area.
Usman along with his one associate (Furkan) of LeT Outfit planted IED at Kralgund and also fired upon Army operational party at Kachloo Qaziabad, in which one Army personnel got killed, the official told The Kashmiriyat.
Khawaja is believed to have had expertise in handling sophisticated weapons like AK series Rifle, pistol and Hand grenade, etc.
“Especially after the abrogation of 370 and 35A Khawaja along with some other Militant mentors from across the border intensified his activities within the whole jurisdiction of Police District Handwara for enforcing shutdowns,” he said.
He said that Khawaja was involved in various offences registered in various Police stations FIR No. 203/1998 U/S 7/25 I.A Act PS Handwara, FIR No. 79/2002 U/S 147, 451 RPC PS Kralgund (Kgd), FIR No. 03/2008 U/S 7/25 I.A Act PS Kralgund, FIR No. 60/ 2010 U/S 148, 149, 427, 336 RPC PS Kralgund, FIR No. 07/2011 U/S 148, 149,427, 341, 336 PS Kgd, FIR No. 103/2016 U/S 307 RPC 7/27 I.A Act PS Kgd, FIR No. 34/2018 U/S 16, 38, 39 ULAP Act PS Kgd, FIR No. 81/ 2018 U/S 307 RPC 3/5 Explosion Act PS Kgd, IED blast at National Highway ( Handwara-Bla) at Kralgund., FIR No. 56/2020 U/S 307 IPC 7/25 Arms Act PS Kgd.