School dropout Sabzar was Burhan’s ‘shadow’

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 27

When Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight last year, it was Sabzar Ahmed Bhat who was initially tipped to succeed him. However, it was Mehmood Gaznavi who was made Burhan’s successor by the Hizbul Mujahideen.

Sabzar, 27, a resident of Ruthsana village in Tral, was active since the past over two years and is believed to have joined militancy the day Burhan’s brother Khalid Muzaffar was killed in an ‘encounter’ with the Army.

Locals said the same day, Sabzar snatched a rifle from a CRPF jawan from Tral town and went underground. Sabzar soon became a close confidante of Burhan Wani and was seen in most of the pictures of the slain commander in military fatigues wielding automatic rifles.

In most of the social media images and videos which emerged over the year, Sabzar was seen accompanying Burhan like a shadow. He was also in the group photo of Burhan, which went viral over the social media and raised a security alarm.

Sabzar was also present at the funeral of Burhan Wani in Tral. After Burhan’s death, tech-savvy Sabzar followed in the footsteps of Burhan and used the social media to attract youth towards militancy and created a “style statement” of his own.

Police sources said Sabzar, a school dropout, was operating in and around Tral and had a large network of overground workers and is believed to have motivating capabilities, drawing several youth into militancy over the years.

Sabzar’s killing is a major setback to the Hizbul. The major challenge for the security grid will be on Sunday when Sabzar’s burial is scheduled at his native village.