Poonch probe zeroes in on 2 Pakistan terror handlers

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, April 24

With the investigation into the Poonch terror attack entering the fourth day on Monday, intelligence agencies have zeroed in on two Pakistan-based terror handlers who are believed to be behind the attack.

Five soldiers were killed in an ambush on April 20 when they were travelling from Bhimber Gali to Sangiote in Poonch district. They were reportedly ambushed from three different sides on the Rajouri-Poonch highway in Bhata Dhurian. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), Intelligence Bureau (IB), police and other agencies have been working day and night to ascertain who was behind the attack. While the perpetrators fled the scene and vanished into the dense forest, the names of two terror handlers—Rafiq Nai, alias Sultan, a resident of Mendhar in Poonch who resides in Pakistan, and Habibullah Malik, alias Sajid Jutt, a resident of Kasur in Pakistan—have surfaced.

The Central Government had designated both Rafiq and Habibullah as terrorists in October last year. Habibullah’s name cropped up in the Poonch attack as he was the key handler of terrorists who ambushed the soldiers during an encounter in the same Bhata Dhurian forest area in 2021. The encounter between Army and militants continued for over a fortnight, resulting in the martyrdom of nine soldiers.

As per a notification by the Union Home Ministry designating him as a terrorist, Habibullah Malik, born in 1982 in Kasur (Pakistan), has been associated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and its offshoot The Resistance Front (TRF). “Habibullah Malik has been involved in radicalising Kashmiri youths and recruiting them into militancy through his network,” mentioned the official notification.

The militant is also involved in drone-dropping of arms and communication systems in Jammu region for J&K-based terrorists. Besides, he has been behind infiltration of terrorists through the Line of Control in Poonch, especially Bhimber Gali.

Habibullah was also behind a fidayeen attack on soldiers at Hyderpora, Srinagar, in June 2013 and also killing of the then SHO of Chadoora, Budgam, in December 2013.

Rafiq is “launching commander” of Tahreek-ul-Mujahideen and Jammu Kashmir Ghaznavi Force. He is involved in supervision of narcotics and weapon smuggling and infiltration of terrorists in the Poonch and Rajouri sector. Sources said he had been instrumental in attempts to revive terrorism in parts of Jammu division.

One from J&K

• Rafiq Nai: A Poonch native, he resides in Pak; involved in smuggling of arms, drugs and infiltration of terrorists
• Habibullah Malik: Hailing from Kasur (Pak), said to be behind Bhata Dhurian gunfight in which 9 soldiers died