Pulwama attack mastermind Arjumand Gulzar Dar shot dead in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir

In a big blow to the anti-India terror network operating from across the border, Arjumand Gulzar Dar — one of the masterminds of the 2019 Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel, and a designated terrorist wanted under UAPA — was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) Thursday, reports Rajshekhar Jha.

Known by aliases “Hamza Burhan” and “Doctor”, the Al-Badr commander, 27, was killed on the spot outside a school in Gojra, Muzaffarabad, when bike-borne men fired multiple rounds at him. He suffered three gunshots to the head. Locals uploaded videos on social media showing blood and brains spilled on the street.

Burhan, who became a part of the terror apparatus while pursuing a degree in medicine, was camouflaged as the “principal” of higher secondary school AIMS in Gojra by ISI to carry out terror activities.

Pulwama planner suspected to have been shot by local hitmen over monetary feud

Arjumand Gulzar Dar was in-charge of at least seven terror launchpads, and AK-47 wielding men were part of his security detail, sources said. It is suspected local hitmen, aware of the area’s topography, are behind the killing over a monetary dispute.

The incident is the latest in a series of mysterious “drive-by-killings” targeting high-value terrorists on India’s “wanted list” sheltered in Pakistan and POK.

In the 2019 attack, Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Adeel Ahmed Dar rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar highway at Lethpora in Pulwama district, killing 40 CRPF personnel. It prompted major retaliatory strikes by India on terror establishments in Pakistan.

In April 2022, the home ministry had officially designated Burhan an individual terrorist under the stringent UAPA after investigators established his direct involvement in orchestrating the Pulwama attack. He had facilitated critical supply of explosives and grenades to the executioners and helped map routes and date of the strike.

Burhan’s elimination marks the end of a high-profile terror career that deeply impacted J&K’s security dynamics.

Born and raised in Pulwama’s Ratnipora area, Burhan allegedly held an MBBS degree which earned him the moniker “Doctor”. In 2017, he fled India for Pakistan under the pretext of pursuing higher studies. However, upon arrival, he actively joined banned terror organisation Al-Badr where his combination of formal education and tactical acumen allowed him to rapidly rise through the ranks to become a top commander, sources said. Before operating from Pakistan and POK, he served as Al-Badr’s South Kashmir commander.

Indian intelligence and security agencies regarded Burhan as a “master plotter”, proficient in modern weaponry and logistics. Beyond the Pulwama tragedy, Burhan was heavily involved in sustaining Kashmir Valley’s terror ecosystem. He coordinated funding, weapon smuggling and explosive distribution networks through overground workers, leading a specific Nov 2020 grenade attack on a CRPF bunker in Pulwama. Furthermore, he was entrenched in information warfare front; he frequently generated and circulated radical propaganda videos — dating back to 2018 — specifically aimed at brainwashing Kashmiri youth.