New Delhi. You must have seen the films of James Bond. How the Earth 007 first becomes a part of the army in the country. Then play inside and destroys the entire network present there. The story of Mushtaq Ahmed Bhat of Kashmir is no less than James Bond. These are the men who first went to Pakistan’s captured Kashmir and took training in terror there. As soon as he returned to India, he did not choose the way of terror. He became a part of the Indian Army and selectively started to wipe out terror from the valley. Not one, two or 10-20, but Mushtaq Ahmed Bhat killed 300 terrorists. He retired from the army as a captain.
Terrorists became in hobbies
Today, he is credited with many radical Kashmiri youth to remove from terror, bring back to the mainstream and recruit into the army. His biography in S Ramachandran’s ‘The Brevharts’ has been told. Interestingly, despite fear of death on henchmen like himself, Mushtaq Ahmed Bhat agreed not only to tell S Ramachandran for the book but also shared his pictures with reporters. The story of Mushtaq Ahmed Bhat begins in the turbulent time of Kashmir. In the 1980s, the valley was turning red with violence. This was the period when Kashmiri Pandit was leaving Kashmir and running away. At just 18 or 19 years old, he himself saw how the person having a gun is respected. The attraction of power and the tendency to protect his family pushed him on a dangerous path.
The way of terror chose in the desire of gun
Mushtak says that I thought that if I also get a gun, I can save my family. With this thinking I went to Pakistan and took training there. Mushtaq’s visit to Pakistan was by a well -planned network. Jamaat-e-Islami had formed organizations in all districts from Qazigund to Rajouri, Poonch where boys were selected. Mushtaq took rigorous training in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Initially there was a Najeeb government in Afghanistan and Russian was gone. First he taught us to drive weapons for 15 days. Then sent us directly to Khost and said, fight, just fight.
Bomb training in Afghanistan
Mushtaq further said that I went to Jalalabad in Afghanistan, took 15 days training in explosives, candles (IEDs), weapons. Then it was sent directly to Khost. We used rocket-propelled grenade, anti-aircraft (guns) and light machine guns. But the reality of this false freedom struggle of Pakistan was revealed soon. Mushtaq says that I saw how Pakistan behaves double. How he gives Islamic color to the story of freedom. When asked if he was inspired by any passion for independence, he did not say clearly. My sole purpose was to save my family. Walking pistols in college, making supremacy, that was that.
Saved his life as a double agent
After returning to Kashmir in July 1990, Mushtaq’s return to Kashmir was not peaceful. When I came back and tried to surrender, our entire family was threatened. Somehow I survived by 1994. During those years, he was forced to participate in attacks under terrorist operators like Syed Salahuddin. The real turn came in 1994, when Mushtaq took a dangerous decision to avoid firing between terrorists and security forces. He secretly approached an officer of the Border Security Force and put everything at risk to give intelligence information. His information about terrorists’ bases, infiltration routes and planned attacks proved to be important.
Even the army people did not believe
Due to not being reliable by any side, Mushtaq lived a dual life. Worked as a double agent for five years. Between 1994 and 1999, he maintained his security with terrorists and secretly gave BSF and later important intelligence to the Indian Army. They say that I always kept an eye on my shoulder. If any party came to know, I was dead, but his tips helped successful operations, hostage and prevent big attacks. As his credibility increased, he started working for the army. Between 1994–1995, Mushtaq was formally incorporated as an operative, his unique position made him an important link in efforts to eliminate anti-terrorism and fundamentalism.
Intelligence information was at the time of Kargil
He informed the Indian Army about the Kargil attack. The change of Mushtaq was not easy. The police always kept him under surveillance. The police have kept me under supervision and I was monitored, but if I ask the army, they will give me passport and everything in ten minutes. He explains the contradiction between the behavior of the local police and the Indian Army. Despite doubt, Mushtaq got a new objective and that was to help the Indian Army bring back other misleading youth.
300 terrorists killed
For the army, he played an important role in identifying and neutralizing radical elements. I created categories that who kills citizens, who talks a lot about Islam and wants to justify the killing of innocent people in the name of Islam. I used to finish them. When asked how many people he was to kill, he replied with a heavy heart that more than 300.
Retired as Captain
Mushtak says that when he joined the army, he was taken as a junior commission officer and later promoted me as a captain. I retired as Captain. Mushtaq’s intelligence information and operational experience became the backbone of the DeredicLiz Mission. He personally persuaded several dozen youth to leave extremism and join the army, which gave him a second chance of life and peace. Mushtaq says that the dazzling that was in 1989, the same happened in 2014.
