Militancy raises head in Hajin again
Once a stronghold for antiinsurgency outfit Ikhwan, the region has witnessed multiple attacks on security forces and civilians
HAJIN: In over twenty years, the town of Hajin and its adjoining areas in north Kashmir have gone from being an epicentre for an anti-insurgency force to a militant stronghold.
In the mid 90s, the town, known for its willow nurseries, was the base for Ikhwan led by Kuka Parray. For a decade or more, Parray made the town his base for counter-insurgency operations.
Parray later became a legislator after contesting the 1996 assembly elections.
Two decades later, militancy has returned to the town.
A team of 5-6 heavily armed Lashkar-e-taiba (LeT) militants attacked one of the biggest army camps in Hajin on Tuesday. After attacking, the militants escaped into the woods in the night.
The town has witnessed over a half a dozen such attacks in the last few months, some of which, claimed civilian lives.
Six civilians have been killed in last two months alone in the region. The police blame LeT militants for most of the killings.
The LeT however, has released an audio clip after the killing of Mohammad Yaqoob, a 37-year-old butcher who was bludgeoned in front of his wife and 7-year-old son, denying their involvement in at least two civilian killings and shifted the blame on security agencies.
The audio clip was released after local villagers held a protest and several clerics of local mosques raised questions over the gruesome civilian killings.
“Our day starts with fear and nights are more fearful. Once it is dark, we confine ourselves indoors. In past two weeks three four attempts to kill civilians were foiled after villagers raised an alarm,’’ said a neighbour of Yaqoob, adding that his killing has left everyone shocked.
“We don’t know who is killing the civilians, it could be militants or agencies but the killers should be unveiled,” he added.
A police officer sitting inside a heavily fortified police station located close to the 13 Rashtriya Rifles camp says everybody in the town knows who is killing civilians.
“Fearing for their own lives, people prefer to remain silent,’’ he said adding that LeT has heavily invested recruiting locals from the town and its adjoining areas over the past 2-3 years.
“For militants, this is now a place where they could move easily, carry out activities. This place is now directly monitored by Lashkar commanders from across LoC.”
Top LeT militants such as Abu Musaib, the nephew of LeT ideologue Zakir-ur-Rehamn Lakhwi, who was killed last year, stayed in the town for some time. According to the police, thereafter, other commanders also shifted their base to Hajin.
In November 2017, six top LeT commanders were killed in an operation in Hajin including Owaid, whom police claimed to be another of Lakhwi’s nephews. Two top LeT commanders — Mehmood Bhai and Zargam were also killed in Hajin area.
At the time the police had claimed to have wiped out militancy from the area but it proved short-lived.
The police say only four local youngsters in Hajin area have taken up arms in the last three years and of them, two have been killed in encounters with security forces.
The presence of foreign militants is high in the region, they said.
In early 2015 -16, foreign militants started making inroads in the town as they developed a network of overground workers, they added.
“The location of this town is strategically important for militants as after crossing the LoC either from Kupwara and Bandipora side, they stay here for some time before moving out either to south Kashmir, Ganderbal or Srinagar,’’ said another officer who did not want to be named.
Bandipora superintendent of police (SP) Shiekh Zulfkar said the LeT started working in Hajin and adjoining areas in 2012-13.
“Currently nine Lashkar militants (seven foreigners and two locals) are active in the area. We have strong evidence that in 4-5 civilian killings, this group was involved.”
Some locals however, are glad that the village is slowly losing its tag of ‘Ikhwan stronghold’.
“Hajin and its adjoining villages are now turning into well wishers of separatists. Now people no more call us as Ikhwanis or nabdis (supporters of counterinsurgency). It’s now thing of a past,’’ says a college student who lives in Parray Mollah.
Several leaders also prefer avoiding the area.
“I prefer to stay in Srinagar and do not go there due to the militant presence,’’ said Congress leader Imtiyaz Ahmad Parray, son of Kukka Parray.
“In 1996, it was Hajin which played pivotal role in bring democracy to state. But in lieu, the government neglected the town. So people of town have moved away from us,’’ he added.
National Conference (NC) legislator Mohammad Akbar Lone also admitted to avoiding visits to the area.
“Hajin has witnessed the worst days and atrocities during the Ikhwan era. Now militants are there so killings and atrocities are again taking place,’’ he said.