Mohammad Naveed, man who escaped after opening fire in Srinagar’s biggest hospital

The investigating officer described Mohammad Naveed alias Abu Hanzala as a dreaded terrorist who was very well trained. A Pakistani national, Naveed, was born in Multan in 1996. His father was a driver and mother a housewife. Realising that Naveed was not good with his formal education, his parents sent him to Dar-ul-Aloom Jamia Safia Borevella for Islamic education.

Thereafter, he was sent to Dar-Aloom- Mureedkay for three months. This is the very place where Naveed got his first arms training. Mureedkay was frequented by Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.

Republic TV has an exclusive copy of the interrogation report. The interrogation was conducted by Jammu and Kashmir police soon after his arrest in 2014.

According to the report, Naveed was trained in handling weapons like LMG, AK-47, pistols, grenade, rocket launcher and sniper. He was trained by the LeT commanders.

Before he infiltrated, he was trained for two years in two different camps in PoK (Camp at Mansehra and Shevaee jungle near Neelum river). He infiltrated in October- November 2012 through Athmuqam in Kupwara sector. He crossed over with seven others which included Abu Musa. The group crossed over and with the help of over ground workers reached Bandipora. In the jungles of Bandipora, Naveed became a part of larger group of terrorists.

According to the interrogation report, Naveed came in contact with slain terrorist Abu Dujana in a hideout in Bandipora. 22 terrorists were in the area before they were disbursed into small groups. Each group was given the target to carry out attacks on special forces.

The Pakistani imprint was amply evident given the fact that Naveed admitted that he was taking instructions from his handler Abu Sajad in Pakistan. Naveed in fact would pass on the instructions that he received from his Pakistani handlers to all the field commanders. Naveed and his group killed 7 policemen over the next few years before he was arrested. Six days before he was arrested, Naveed met the dreaded terrorist who was neutralized last year Abu Dujana and other field commanders at Arwani Rakh. Following this meeting, Naveed and Abu Asama carried out attacks on election duty officers who were gearing up for the parliamentary elections.

Top sources say that the Naveed’s escape was indeed pre-planned.

“He complained of chest and stomach pain on Monday night. It was decided he would be taken to the hospital on Tuesday. The hospital has a footfall of around 10,000. Taking advantage of the melee that was created after the gunshots were fired, Naveed managed to escape,” said a source based in Srinagar.

Jammu and Kashmir police interim report suggests that Naveed was escorted by three constables and two pheran-clad youth fired on them in the hospital. All three fled in motorcycles.

Today’s episode in Srinagar is certainly going to be a major headache for the security forces as Naveed was second -in-command in LeT ranks.