Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 25: Security and Intelligence agencies were baffled over the whereabouts of one of the most wanted militant in Jammu and Kashmir, who was also an accused in September 7, 2011 blast outside Delhi High Court and carried a reward of Rs 20 lakh on his head, as his wife had given birth to a child just few days back at her house, which hinted that the militant might have visited his house when security forces and police had launched an all out hunt for him in Kishtwar district.
Begum Hamida wife of Shakir Hussain alias Chota Haafiz, a dreaded militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit, has given birth to a male baby at her residence at village Palmar in Kishtwar district, official sources have confirmed.
When approached for comments, DIG Doda-Ramban range Gareeb Dass said police have received reports of the wife of Chota Haafiz giving berth to a baby but added that their inputs revealed that a top Lashkar militant, operating in South Kashmir had taken the woman in the Valley where Haafiz was hiding.
The militant couple had stayed together in a hideout of the LeT outfit in South Kashmir, he said.
“Nevertheless, we are conducting our own investigations into the case. Police and Intelligence agencies were trying to ascertain as to whether the most wanted militant, whose arrest could give vital leads in Delhi High Court blast of September 7, 2011, had visited his house at Palmar or his wife had moved out to South Kashmir where Haafiz was reportedly camping at present’’, the DIG said.
He added that the visit of Chota Haafiz to his house seemed “out of question’’ as he wouldn’t take such a step as he was regularly being searched in the upper reaches of Kishtwar. A strict vigil was also being kept at his house, he said, adding the vigil has revealed that it was, in fact, wife of Chota Haafiz, who had been missing from her house for a couple of months and it was during this period that she had been taken to South Kashmir where she stayed with Haafiz.
Police have not ruled out the questioning of the wife of Haafiz after she fully recovered from the delivery in her house as it could give leads to them about whereabouts of the most wanted militant with a reward of Rs 20 lakh—Rs 10 lakh each by the NIA and the State Government—on his head.
Police said Chota Haafiz stayed away from the marriage of her sister a couple of days back anticipating movement of plainclothesmen of police and Intelligence agencies at both Palmar and Gool. The barat had gone from Gool to Palmar.
It may be mentioned here that Chota Haafiz was wanted to the NIA in connection with September 7, 2011 blast in which over a dozen persons were killed and more than 50 injured. While police and NIA had already arrested three militants from Kishtwar in connection with the blast, another top militant Aamir Ali Kamal was killed in an encounter with Army and police.
Yet another ultra wanted to NIA, Junaid Akram Malik is reported to have been killed in internal rivalry of the militants as he wanted to surrender. Two Pakistani militants, who had shifted explosives from Kishtwar to New Delhi were also untraced. Both Kamal and Junaid also carried a cash reward of Rs 20 lakh each on their heads.
“In such a scenario Chota Haafiz has become the most wanted militant for the NIA to completely solve the blast mystery and Kishtwar police along with Army and security agencies were making all out efforts to apprehend him or get him surrendered’’, sources said but added that the militant had reportedly slipped to South Kashmir from the heights of Kishtwar.
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