Escaped the Wrath of Kashmiri Terrorists-JKLF

 

 Jan 1990 was the zenith of the Jammu Kashmir J Liberation Front terrorist uprising in Kashmir. On The 1st and 19 Jan Kashmiri people en mass in lakhs came to the streets of Kashmir to reach either Eidgah of Cheri Shriet to get independence. Anti-India and pro-liberation, pro-Islamic slogans collectively were hurled like the war cry by the marching crowd on the roads. Equally from the loudspeakers of mosque minarets tape-recorded high-pitched advisories of either to convert or to perish or to run away, leaving their women folk for Muslims of the valley were billowing in air nonstop for the Hindu minority. The rooftops of Hindu houses were pelted stone and the clattering sound produced by that shrank the dwellers in fear and vulnerability of physical attack The slogan-shouting crowd exhibited their spirited Islamic fervour in front of the Hindu houses, which was alarming to the frightened Hindu minority Already the law-and-order situation in the valley was incapacitated. JKL.F kidnapped Rubia Syed the daughter of Union Home Minister Mufti Mohd Syed on 8 Dec 1989 and was captive till 14 of Dec. In bargaining for her release from JKLF captivity, the government was forced to release dreaded terrorists from the jail. Their release was treated as a triumph towards their liberation struggle. The administration and police were in disarray. In the second week of Jan, the CRPF fired at the protesting crowd on Gown Kadal in which 45 civilians were killed. Jag Mohan was a newly nominated Governor. The law and order situation was at a decimal level. JKLF commanders were ferrying arms and ammunition unchecked to distribute among the trained youth with the objective of insurgency against a state. They primarily singled out Intelligence Officers who felt the bullets of JKLF arca commanders were late Kishen Gopal Chauhan In Beeru, R.M.P.Singh in Anantnag, Tej Kishen Razdan Gaw Kadal tempo stand Moti Lal Bhan at bus stand from point-blank range al broad daylight No one dared to carry these fatally in bunded officers to a nearby hospital in Srinagar to save their lives if possible. If anyone perchance had shown some empathy for the victim, that one was too riddled with bullets. A State Police officer of the rank of Assistant Sub Inspector posted in the downtown area of Nauhatta, Srinagar was killed on the main road passing by the side of Jamia Masjid. Before these killings, JKLF terrorists killed retined Justice Neel Kant Ganjoo, Tika Lal Taploo, the State BJP Vice President and a lawyer and Mohd Yusuf Halwa, National Conference block president Kalashpur, Fateh Kadal, Srinagar and Premi Nath Bhat a known lawyer and columnist from Anantnag brutally in 1989. JKLF terrorists were cracking the whip in the city area. They blasted government buildings and threw grenades on the vehicle of Santaram of Kokerbazar and the shops of Somnath Suri of Maharaj Bazar in Srinagar were on their radar. Intermittent firing from AK-47s on vintage road crossing was a routine phenomenon, Under the precarious situation in Srinagar city Sohanlal was assigned to collect ground intelligence in highly sensitive areas of Downtown under a cover job. Despite the risk of danger to his life, Sohanlal was moving through the lanes and alleys of Malaratta, Jamalatta, and Nauhatta, which were the most notorious areas owing allegiance to Mirwaiz Mauve Farooq, of Jamia Masjid, Nuahatta, Srinagar. Following the Friday congregation after prayers, the youth coming out of the mosque pelted stones at the passing vehicular traffic in Nauhatta Chowk to create a law and order problem that was a regular feature The vantage point from where stones were thrown at the passing vehicular traffic was called Gollm Heights a colloquial word drawing its comparison with the Middle East conflicting area. Sohanlal was assigned to collect surface information about the movement of known JKLF terrorists in the area. Sohanlal was on deputation from the State Police to the central agmcy as a field officer in 1988. It was the 22 or 23 of January, when Moti Lal Bhan, an officer was shot dead while boarding the Khanda bus for his office. On this day Sohanlal was roaming about in Nalhandpura volatile area in Chattabal as usual in search of catch of information. The killing of Kashmir Pandit spread downtown like wildfire. Simultan AK-47 hrong on toting JKLF terrorist also resorted to A CREE the CRPF post in Nalbandpur, the men retaliated in defence which caused public turmoil in the market area. Pedestrian fled to save their lives in different lanes and bye lanes to safe shelters. Sohanlal was also trapped among the fleeing people in one of the lanes of a clustered enclave in Nalbandpura, Chattabul. But the lane ended in a blind alley so the nanning group wax in six and a blind alley so the the meantime, one of the house or inte was kind enough to open the door of faith lang anked the 10/12 escaping persons to get in to relax until the situation subsided. Shandell had other course but to accept the shelter given to them by the umume house owner. As the commotion down, persons walked out of the hinted owner asked Sohanlal, where he by appearance was looking like a Muslim boy He had grown a beard in Moulvi style of cee fint length and his accent was Muslim-like Sohanlal replied, that he was going to Islamabad (Anantnag) The House owner asked Sohanlal what he was doing in the Nalbandpure. Chattabal area, Sohanlal replied that he had come to meet the trader as he was dealing in the wallpaper business The House owner fold Sohanlal that he would arrange an escort for him who would lead tum to the main road through the narrow lanes. Sohanlal left the house with a strange fellow who took him to Karan Nagar Chowk, where he took a transport to his office. On reaching his office, he found the office deserted in most of the official portion. On finding no one known around, Sohanlal barged into the affice of the senior most officer, who was astonished to see him. The officer enquired how he was there. Was he not scared of the tense situation? Sohanlal replied that he did not fear. The senior officer's office and paraphernalia were preparing to shift to Jammu during some winter months in Kashmir as a routine. Sohanlal was entrusted to the middle-level officer to manage his shift to Jammu in official transport with the instructions not to permit him to go out. The middle-level officer took. Sohanlal to a sate house for a night stay with him. While being with the middle-level officer. Sohanlal requested that he be allowed to visit home to we his family in Anantnag and promised him that he would reach Jammu directly. The middle level officer yielded to his request with a word from Sohantal that he would reach Jammu at any cost without putting his service at stake After Sohanlal came on deputation to the central agency from the state police. Sohanial lived in the home of Gulzar Ahmed on rent at Dawood colony in the Batamallo area. Sohanlal wished to go to his rented accommodation in Batamallo to collect his belongings before gung to his village Batagund in Anantrag. He arrived at his rented room in the dark and met Gulzar Ahmed an employee of Telephone Department Srinagar, who did not permit him to go to his room at that hour. Gulzar revealed to him that the youth were desperately searching for him and they had come several times to ask about Sohanlal 38 and his whereabouts and the nature of his jobbe d and his whereabouts and antal that by lighting Golzar explainedening hours the terrorist and they rocon in the hande had tumed up and would come to kill Sohanlal Gulzar Ahmed took to a corner of his kitchen where he Sohanlal to a hiddener the pile of chopped concealed him under of Schandal to sleep with Clear Ahmed imposdwink the terrorists whhuhed in his bestrostut Sohanlal for day's Golzar Ahmed hart hunting his sate time to leave the housing Sohanlal was to depart in the earl morning around Jam, for his village without any baggage youths with AK-475 While in hiding two y suddenly dropped into the house as they had information that Sohanlal was in the house. These IKLF terrorists went up the stairs to look in the room and other parts of the house to trace Sohanlal but again they went blank Sohanlal was in a state of numbness and shock in his hiding corner. Before their sudden raid on the house, Sohanlal was told by Gulzar Ahned not to sleep in his room because the lighting in the room would transmit a signal about Sohanlal's presence to his prey. After the sudden barging of the terrorists, the thinking Gulzar Ahmed changed and he proposed to Sohanlal that he should leave his house on the same midnight after some pause as the terrorist might be watching around the house. Sohanlal agreed to depart from Gulzar Ahmed's house after an hour Sohanlal had thought of a walking distance of about four miles up to Hyderpore bypass B.S.F check post through the pathways in paddy fields from Dawood colony in pitch dark hours when the whole area was in deep slumbers. Sohanlal decided to leave after a gap of two hours and thanked Gulzar Ahmed and his family for all the help they rendered to save his life. Gulzar interrupted him and let him peep out on the roadside from the main gate to size up if any movement was outside Gulzar Ahmed briefed him it was quiet outside and ushered Sohanlal to a certain distance through the fields. Sohanlal prowled along the pathways that bisected the paddy fields with uncertain life ahead. In his heart of hearts, Sohanlal was sorrowful not knowing if he would reach alive to Hyderpora bypass. The pathway was forlorn but his faith in Almighty and balance of mind helped him. It took nearly two hours for Sohanlal to reach the BSF check post on the Hyderpora bypass. Sohanlal approached the B.S.F men posted there and disclosed his identity his police background and his latest service with the central agency. Sohanlal disclosed to them that he was hailing from Bijbehara town and wanted to see his family. lo the morning he was to board a bus from the highway to get a drop at Bijbehara. The B.S.F officer told him their Dak vehicle was going to Bijbehara in the morning to supply the ration items for their deployment in the town and allowed Sohanlal to take the lift. The following morning, Sohanlal was accommodated in the vehicle bound for Bijbehara Before getting seated in the BSF vehicle. Sohanlal intimated to the driver that he should not be dropped in the main town market but a little ahead near the Chinar bag, fearing that he would be detected by IKLF elements who were on the lookout for him. Sohanlal was alighted from the B.S.F vehicle near the chinar bag area in Babebara. It was the wintry hours of early morning. Sohanlal took his route towards his village on foot. On the way to his hamlet Batagund from Hijbehara, Sohanlal walked over a creaking wooden bridge where he encountered Bashir Ahmed, his class fellow in the company of another youth. Neither Sohanlal nor Bashir Ahmed hailed each other in any gesture but after crossing each other over the bridge. Bashir Ahmed yelled at Sohanlal to wait without naming him. Bashir Ahmed retraced his path to come close to Sohanlal and told him he should stay at Bashir Ahmed's house for the night as JKLF persons were scouting for him. Bashir Ahmed also revealed Sohanlal that the youth accompanying Bashir Ahmed was Manzoor Darzi, JKLF commander of Anantnag. Sohanlal was calm and gave him a cool ear with his affirmative head movement. Sohanlal on reaching his home, his family members were in tears and hugged him with warmth that he was safe at home in the village. He spent some hours with his parents and family members but was unprepared to stay for a night in his house. IKLF terrorists were also doing for hunting for him on the village side. From his home in the village Batagund, Sohanlal sneaked into the nearby hamlet Laribal where his friend Beharilal was residing. Sohanlal related the story of his being on the hit list of JKLF terrorists to his childhood friend Beharilal, who reacted with the remark that unknown Muslim youth were also asking about him in the village. Sohanlal replied that he was to go to femur to join the duty Beharilal advised Sohanlal to be with him in his house for a day or two. Their vehicle was going to Jammu to carry the household items for their newly built house In Udhampur, Jammu region in which Sohanlal could also travel discreetly to Jammu. Sohanlal didn't step out of Beharilal's house and waited for a day when his friend's mini-coach would drive to the Jammu region. On the scheduled departure date Sohanlal was ready with a backpack waiting last spur of the moment to jump in the vehicle when it sped off from the loading slot. On reaching Jammu, he joined the Central Agency and continued his job till his superannuation and lived in Jammu with his family

DISCLAIMER: 

The views expressed in the Article above are Surender Kaul  views and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."

Courtesy:  Surender Kaul   and Koshur Samachar-2025, February