A “human GPS” who knew Gurez like the back of his hand – that’s how security sources described Baghu Khan, a “prize catch” who was one of two infiltrators believed to have been killed in an encounter in North Kashmir’s Gurez sector earlier this week.
Popular by his alias ‘Samandar Chacha’, Khan is believed to be the man behind the several infiltrations in the Gurez sector of Bandipora — one of the traditional incursion routes into North Kashmir. According to sources, Khan had been on the security radar for years, often referred to as “human GPS” or “human navigator” for his knowledge of the rugged terrain that connects to several parts of the Kashmir Valley.
“It is definitely a prize catch for us,” a senior officer said. “He acted as a guide for the infiltrators and since he knew every inch of the Gurez sector, he would often elude the security grid on the Line of Control (LoC).”
Originally a resident of Malangam village of Bandipora, Khan allegedly crossed over to Pakistan for arms training in 1995 and had initially joined the Hizbul Mujahideen, acting as a guide for infiltrators to enter Kashmir.
“Our reports suggest that several infiltrations were guided by him,” an officer said. “He would often lead a group of militants through the Gurez sector, take them deep inside and return to Pakistan to prepare for another infiltration.”
On Thursday, sources said that police received reports that a militant group would try to infiltrate the Valley through Gurez. Police shared the input with the Army and other agencies on the border.
On Thursday early morning, two men who allegedly tried to infiltrate were killed. The second infiltrator has not been identified yet.
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The Gurez sector in Bandipora has been a traditional infiltration route, connecting to Bandipora on one side and Sonamarg on the other. This, according to officials, means that once they enter, militants can go through the mountains and the forests to reach Kupwara, Sopore, and Ganderbal.
According to sources, an identity card found on Khan shows him to be a resident of Muzaffarabad in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). It also allegedly shows him to be born in 1975, although police sources claim he would be in his late 50’s.
