One of the alleged masterminds of the Pulwama terror attack, Hamza Burhan, has reportedly been shot dead by unknown gunmen in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
According to a report in the Times of Indiaquoting sources, Burhan was shot multiple times after being attacked by unidentified assailants in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan. He was designated as a terrorist by the Centre in 2022.
Al-Badr links
“Arjumand Gulzar Dar alias Hamza Burhan alias Doctor, aged 23 years, is a resident of Kharbatpora, Ratnipora, Pulwama, and one of the associate members of Al Badr, a terrorist outfit designated under the UAPA,” the Centre had stated in an official notification.
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The Pulwama terror attack was carried out on February 14, 2019, after a convoy of security personnel travelling on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway came under attack near Lethapora in Pulwama district of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The incident resulted in the deaths of 40 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), along with the suicide attacker identified as Adil Ahmad Dar, a resident of Pulwama in south Kashmir.
Burhan’s role and journey to Pakistan
Hamza Burhan, who was also known by the alias ‘Doctor’, had allegedly played a role in the broader conspiracy linked to the attack.
Born in Kharbatpora village in the Ratnipora area of Pulwama, Burhan had travelled to Pakistan in 2017 reportedly under the pretext of pursuing higher education. He later joined the banned outfit Al-Badr and subsequently rose through the ranks within the organisation, eventually becoming one of its commanders.
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On the day of the attack, a CRPF convoy comprising 78 vehicles and carrying more than 2,500 personnel was moving from Jammu towards Srinagar along National Highway 44. The convoy had left Jammu at around 3:30 am after traffic movement on the highway remained suspended for two days.
Investigation and aftermath
Pakistan-based militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing. The Pulwama attack remains the deadliest terror strike targeting Indian security personnel in Kashmir since 1989 and later became a major flashpoint in India-Pakistan relations.
Subsequent investigations identified 19 accused in the case. By August 2021, the principal accused and six others had reportedly been killed, while seven individuals had been arrested.
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