SRINAGAR: Police in Kashmir has launched a massive manhunt for newly appointed Hizbul chief for Kashmir Zakir Rashid alias Moosa after his recent video in which he threatened policemen of “dire consequences” in case they continue to “harass” the families of militants.
“Police and other security agencies have launched a massive manhunt to track down Hizb commander Zakir. We have conducted raids at some places in South Kashmir to track him down,” a police officer said.
Zakir, who was an engineering student in Chandigarh and joined Hizb three years back, was appointed as Hizb chief for Kashmir after killing of 21-year-old Hizb commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8.
After Burhan’s killing, Kashmir has been witnessing unrest and shutdown. At least 94 people have been killed, more than 13000 injured and over 8000 arrested in the Valley in over four-month long unrest.
A police spokesman confirmed that police is conducting raids on the hide-outs of Zakir.
“Police and army men in a joint operation raided a house at Batapora, Dadasara in Tral in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district. During the searches in the house, security forces recovered material and articles used by militants,” he said.
The spokesman said during the preliminary investigation, it was established that HM commander Zakir alias Moosa used to record videos in one of the rooms of the house.
“Some clothes and other material used by Zakir in different videos and photographs were also recovered,” the spokesman.
The police raid on Hizb commander’s hide-out comes after he had circulated video on social media in which he had warned policemen of “dire consequences” if they continue to “harass” the families of militants.
In the one minute and 20 second video, Zakir had warned that the militants won’t spare the families of cops from IGP to a peon in case their families are harassed and targetted. “Do you think your families are safe because they are in Jammu or other parts of India. We can reach them anywhere, whether they are in Jammu or Kanyakumari and target them. We are very much capable of doing that”.
Zakir had also circulated another video in which he has claimed that militants have got the database of all informers working with the security agencies.
Counseling for stone pelters
In order to restore normalcy in the unrest-hit Valley, police held counseling session of stone pelters in North Kashmir’s sensitive Baramulla town today.
The youth involved in stone pelting and violent incidents in Baramulla from last few months were advised by SSP Baramulla Imtiyaz Ahmad during the counseling session to give up stone pelting and concentrate on their careers.
He advised the youth not to fall prey to the propaganda and instead channelize their energy in constructive and positive pursuits to contribute in larger social good.
SSP said the session was aimed to create an understanding so that ways and means are found to prevent recurrence of such violent incidents in future.
Many parents and respectable citizens of the town also attended the session and suggested the cops to adopt human approach while dealing with youth.
The stone pelting incidents have come down to near zero after a high of 200 stone pelting incidents during the first month of unrest in July.