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A high-ranking terrorist and key conspirator behind the tragic 2019 Pulwama terror attack has been assassinated in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
According to multiple sources, Hamza Burhan—also known by his alias "Doctor"—was ambushed and gunned down by unidentified assailants in Muzaffarabad on Thursday.
He reportedly sustained multiple gunshot wounds and succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
The targeted shooting took place within the city limits of Muzaffarabad in PoK. As of now, local authorities have not issued an official statement outlining the motives behind the attack or the identity of the shooters.
This incident joins a growing pattern of unexplained, targeted killings of designated terrorists operating across the border in recent months.
Burhan, whose real name is identified in open-source intelligence files as Arjumand Gulzar Dar, was widely recognised by security agencies as a primary orchestrator of the Pulwama attack.
He played a critical role as an over-ground worker and logistics manager for terror networks.
Intelligence reports detail his extensive involvement in activities threatening India's territorial integrity, focusing heavily on driving radicalisation among the youth in Jammu and Kashmir.
Originally hailing from the Kharbatpora area of Ratnipora in Pulwama, he legally travelled to Pakistan in 2017 under the pretext of pursuing higher education.
Once across the border, he quickly aligned himself with the banned Al-Badr militant organisation.
Climbing the ranks to become the operational commander of Al-Badr, Burhan was tasked with expanding the group’s footprint across South Kashmir.
His responsibilities included actively recruiting new militants and overseeing the illicit supply chain of weapons, grenades, and explosives into the region.
Recognising his direct threat to national defence and internal security, the Indian government officially designated him as a terrorist in 2022.
Security agencies maintain that Burhan pioneered a highly effective "digital radicalisation" strategy.
By aggressively leveraging various social media platforms, he continuously incited young minds, pulling them toward militancy and running terror networks remotely.
The devastating Pulwama tragedy, which Burhan helped facilitate, unfolded on February 14, 2019, marking one of the deadliest days in the region's history.
A suicide bomber aligned with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) group drove an explosive-laden car into a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Lethpora. The horrific blast claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel.
The attack severely escalated diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan, prompting India's strategic military response in the form of the Balakot airstrikes.
