Sheikh Sajjad Gul

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Sheikh Sajjad Gul
Born1974 (age 49–50)
Nawa Bazar, Srinagar, India
NationalityIndian
Organization The Resistance Front
Known forFounding The Resistance Front
Movement Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir

Sheikh Sajjad Gul, also known as Sheikh Sajjad, is a Pakistani Sponsored Kashmiri militant and the founder of The Resistance Front which has been active in Indian-administred Jammu and Kashmir since 2019. [1] [2]

Contents

Early life

Sheikh Sajjad Gul, born in 1974 in the Shah Mohalla area of Nawa Bazar in the old city of Srinagar, was educated at the National School in Srinagar’s Karan Nagar. In 1996, Gul successfully completed his BSc degree from Sri Pratap College located in Lal Chowk, Srinagar. Following this, he pursued higher education and earned an MBA from the Asia Pacific Institute of Management in Bengaluru, graduating in 1999. [3]

During this time, he established connections with individuals associated with groups such as Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba. [4]

Early militancy career

In 2002, Gul faced arrest in New Delhi on charges related to a hawala racket. While in Tihar jail, he reportedly established connections with prominent LeT militants also incarcerated there. Later, in 2005, Gul was transferred to Srinagar Central Jail and subsequently released in 2006. [5]

Throughout 2016, he remained under constant police scrutiny following intelligence intercepts indicating his involvement in receiving a pistol from across the Line of Control (LoC) for an undisclosed mission. Then, in March 2017, Gul managed to obtain a passport using a fake address in Jammu, secured a visa for Pakistan, and crossed the Wagah border. His acquisition of the passport was deemed fraudulent. [6]

The Resistance Front

In 2019, following the abrogation of Article 370, Sheikh Sajjad Gul, along with Muhammad Abbas Sheikh, [7] co-founded The Resistance Front, a separatist militant organization actively engaged in advocating for the independence of Jammu and Kashmir from India. Presently, Sheikh Sajjad Gul serves as the supreme leader of The Resistance Front. [8] [9]

Designation

On January 5, 2023, the Indian central government banned The Resistance Front (TRF) and designated Sheikh Sajjad Gul as a terrorist. Additionally, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has placed a reward of 1 million INR on Gul's head. [10] [11] [12]

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On 9 June 2024, several unidentified terrorists opened fire on a passenger bus boarded by Hindu pilgrims travelling from the Shiv Khori cave to Katra, Reasi causing it to lose control and plummet into a deep gorge, followed by further firing at the crashed bus by the gunmen. Nine people were killed in the attack, and an additional 41 were injured. The Resistance Front (TRF) initially claimed responsibility for the attack but later denied involvement, while the Jammu and Kashmir Police believes that the attack was carried out by the Lashkar-e-Taiba, of which the TRF is considered a front.

References

  1. ↑ "Sajjad Gul, was falsely Framed in conspiracy to kill journalist Shujaat Bukhari". Kashmir News Zone. 2022-04-19. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  2. ↑ "LeT proxy TRF banned, chief tagged 'terrorist'". The Times of India. 2023-01-06. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  3. ↑ "'Mastermind' of Shujaat Bukhari's assassination planned blasts in Delhi in 2002, was arrested by police". www.timesnownews.com. 2018-06-29. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  4. ↑ Ashiq, Peerzada (2018-07-06). "Ground Zero: Who killed Shujaat Bukhari?". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  5. ↑ "Mastermind of Kashmir editor's murder did MBA from Bengaluru". Inshorts - Stay Informed. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  6. ↑ "'Mastermind' of Shujaat Bukhari's assassination planned blasts in Delhi in 2002, was arrested by police". www.timesnownews.com. 2018-06-29. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  7. ↑ "Who was Abbas Sheikh, TRF chief who revived militancy in Srinagar? - The Week". www.theweek.in. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  8. ↑ "TRF conspiracy case: NIA raids several locations in Kashmir, arrests terrorist". The Times of India. 2022-06-23. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  9. ↑ Singh, Vijaita (2023-01-05). "Centre declares The Resistance Front a terrorist organisation". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  10. ↑ "LeT proxy TRF banned, chief tagged 'terrorist'". The Times of India. 2023-01-06. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  11. ↑ "Why The Resistance Front was under terror watch in Kashmir". India Today. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  12. ↑ Joy,DHNS, Shemin. "Centre bans LeT's proxy outfit 'The Resistance Front'". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
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