Hizbul Mujahideen hybrid terror module busted in Handwara: Ex-terrorist arrested with Chinese pistol by army and police

Handwara Police, Army, and CRPF busted a Hizbul Mujahideen hybrid terror module, arresting an ex-terrorist with a Chinese pistol and ammunition.

In a swift joint operation, Handwara Police, along with 21 Rashtriya Rifles and 92 Battalion CRPF, have busted a terror module of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) operating in the Handwara–Kupwara belt of north Kashmir. An ex-terrorist functioning in “hybrid” mode was apprehended from Handwara town, and a Chinese-made pistol along with ammunition was recovered from his possession.

According to police, Handwara Police received reliable inputs about the activities of an ex-terrorist who had re-emerged as a hybrid operative for an HM module active in the Handwara–Kupwara area. 

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Hybrid terrorists are typically unlisted, radicalised individuals who carry out specific subversive or violent tasks assigned by handlers and then melt back into civilian life, making them harder to track than overground workers or active terrorists.

Acting promptly on the information, security forces launched a joint operation at the identified location in Handwara town. After a meticulous security drill, the accused was taken into custody. He has been identified as Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, son of Mohd Sultan Bhat, resident of Kruhmura, Handwara.

From his possession, forces recovered one Chinese-made pistol, two magazines, and 16 rounds of pistol ammunition.

Police stated that Bhat is a former terrorist who had earlier been arrested in two separate cases. A fresh case (FIR No. 232) has been registered at Police Station Handwara under relevant sections of the law. 

Investigation is underway to map the full extent of the module, its network, handlers, and any other associated activities or associates.

In recent past, security agencies have repeatedly highlighted the challenge of “hybrid terrorism,” in which radicalised local youth or former terrorists operate without formal listing, execute assigned tasks including targeted killings, logistics, or arms movement, and then resume normal civilian cover. This model has been used by all terror outfits, including HM, to sustain low visibility of terror activities in the Valley.

Police have emphasised that further investigation will focus on establishing the module’s wider linkages, any ongoing conspiracy, and the role of external handlers. The operation underscores the continued focus of security forces on neutralising hybrid threats that seek to revive or sustain terror infrastructure in north Kashmir.

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