One of the accused in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, Hamza Burhan, has been shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The incident took place in Muzaffarabad, where Burhan reportedly suffered multiple bullet injuries during the attack. He was known by the alias ‘Doctor’ and had been on security agencies’ radar for years.
Burhan, a native of Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir, was designated as a terrorist by the Union Home Ministry in 2022. His killing adds to a series of similar incidents in Pakistan where individuals linked to terror activities have been targeted by unknown assailants.
Who was Hamza Burhan?
Born in Kharbatpora in the Ratnipora area of Pulwama, Burhan left India in 2017. At the time, he had reportedly cited higher studies as the reason for his travel. However, he later joined the banned terror outfit Al-Badr. Over time, he rose through the ranks and became a commander within the organisation.
Security agencies had linked him to activities connected with militant operations in the region. His presence in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir had been noted in intelligence inputs over the past few years.
The 2019 Pulwama attack
The Pulwama attack remains one of the deadliest strikes on Indian security forces. On February 14, 2019, a suicide bomber affiliated with Jaish-e-Muhammad rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a convoy of the Central Reserve Police Force at Lethpora. The explosion killed 40 CRPF personnel and left several others injured.
As per a report by India Today, the incident triggered a strong response from India. Within days, the Indian Air Force carried out airstrikes in Balakot, targeting what were described as terror training camps. The operation significantly escalated tensions between India and Pakistan at the time.
Pattern of targeted killings?
Burhan’s death comes amid repeated reports of unknown gunmen targeting individuals linked to terror groups in Pakistan and PoK. While there has been no official claim of responsibility in this case, the pattern has drawn attention in security circles.
Authorities in Pakistan have not issued detailed statements on the incident so far.
