Major security breach in Kashmir: Hizbul Mujahideen meet held in Srinagar; security alert sounded in city

Updated Nov 22, 2018 | 23:45 IST | Times Now Digital

Terrorists from Hizbul, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror groups are believed to have participated in the meeting supposedly organised by Hizbul Mujahideen on Tuesday in Srinagar

Hizbul Mujahideen commander
Hizbul Mujahideen commander Umar's picture was reportedly taken on the day of Hizbul meet in Srinagar 

Srinagar: In a massive security breach, terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen reportedly held a meeting at the heart of Srinagar city, at Hazratbal Shrine on Tuesday. Terrorists from Hizbul, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror groups participated in the meeting, as claimed by Hizbul in a letter. In light of the recent developments, security forces have reportedly sounded an alert in the city. 

In fact, a photograph of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Umar alias Hanzalla posing in front of Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar surfaced on Thursday, with reports suggesting that the picture was taken on Tuesday. Hanzalla is the most wanted militant active in South Kashmir’s Kulgan for the last five years.

Hizbul Mujahideen has also reportedly released a letter in which they claimed that 16 of their commanders had attended the meeting, which they were able to hold "without any obstacle" from Indian security forces. They added that they would also release a video of the meeting, which took place at Hazratbal Shrine, soon. 

 

In the letter, Hizbul alleged that the meeting was 47 hours long, in which they discussed their strategies to fight the security forces. The terrorist outfit said that apart from Hizbul militants, four LeT terrorists and 4 JeM militants also attended in the meeting, which was headed by Hizbul's Valley operational commander, Riyaz Naikoo (Mohammad Bin Qasim) and deputy chief Saifullah (Musaib Ul Islam). 

Notably, last year, the Jammu and Kashmir Police had announced a bounty of Rs 10 lakh for information on Umar, also known as Umer Majid, who has been accused of killing seven people including five policemen at Kulgam in May 2017. Police had put up posters of the militant on walls across Kulgam announcing about the cash reward. Earlier, the police had announced a bounty of Rs 5 lakh for him. 

As per reports, Umar, who is in his early 20s, hails from Suchi village of Kulgam district. He apparently joined the militant group in 2016 and has been an active militant in the area for a while, PTI reported. He has been responsible for earlier acts of terror in and around Kulgam, the news agency reported. 

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