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| Kashmiri Hindu militant Manoj Kumar who now are in jail, Kashmir, India |
Srinagar, May 5: Asharq Al-Awsat - A Hindu militant
commander from Hizbul Mujahideen and another militant were killed in the
early hours of Thursday morning during clashes with Indian security
forces in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Kuldeep Sharma,
otherwise known as KK or Kamran was killed in the Kulhand area when
security forces raided his hideout in Khilandi village after a receiving
a tip-off.
Mr. Sharma, an active militant since 1988, has been involved in the killings of several Indian security personnel.
Last
August, 26-year-old Uttam Singh, a Hizbul Mujahideen commander was
killed in Tharolan, a remote village in Doda. Singh alias Sayfullah
became a militant six years prior to his death and was originally a
member of the anti-insurgency village defense committee but was
eventually pulled into Hizbul Mujahideen.
According to former Jammu and
Kashmir police chief, Gopal Sharma, the police have identified several
Hindu militants as part of Hizbul Mujahideen.
In 2000, Indian
security forces for the first time had killed a Hindu militant called
Kuldeep Singh as well as other seven others. His elder brother Randeep
Singh is still a commander of Hizbul Mujahideen.
In 2001, Bharat
Kumar was arrested in Jammu City in possession of arms and ammunition.
He had received military training for four years in Pakistan and
Afghanistan.
In November 2004, a Hindu militant from AL-Jehad, Manoj Kumar Manhas was amongst the 47 militants who as reported arrested by the Indian army. Manoj Kumar, 20, had revealed that he had been
introduced to Kashmir freedom movement by his cousin, Baldev Singh, also a Hindu, who
is still on the run.
Sr. Police officer stated that Hindus are involved
in militancy for money and power, just like Muslim militants. "There is
no more jihad and now local youth irrespective of their religious
affiliations are turning to guns as it is an easy way to get money and
women. Unemployment and poverty especially in remote areas are catalysts
for involvement of the Hindu youth in militancy," he said.
