Hamza Burhan, Alleged Pulwama Mastermind, Killed in Gun Attack in PoK

Hamza Burhan , also known as Arjumand Gulzar Dar alias “Doctor” , a commander of the Al Badr terror outfit and a man designated by India for his role in multiple terror cases in Jammu and Kashmir, was killed on Thursday after unidentified gunmen opened fire on him in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), according to sources and police officials.

Burhan, believed to be one of the key figures behind the 2019 Pulwama terror attack that killed over 40 CRPF personnel, was attacked outside a private college in Gojra area of Muzaffarabad, around 135 km from Islamabad, where he was working as a principal while allegedly maintaining a low profile.

Police said the assailants fired at close range when Burhan stepped out of the college premises in the morning. He sustained multiple gunshot injuries, including three bullets to the head , and was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition. He was placed on a ventilator but later succumbed to his injuries, sources said.

An eyewitness claimed that the attackers fled the scene on a motorcycle after the shooting. Police further said that one suspect was apprehended shortly after the incident when locals overpowered him during his escape attempt. The weapon used in the attack has also reportedly been recovered.

Burhan, born in 1999 in Ratnipora village of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir, is said to have travelled to Pakistan on valid documents before joining the Al Badr group. Intelligence inputs suggest he later played a key role in recruitment and financing activities for the outfit while operating under civilian cover in PoK.

According to India’s Union Home Ministry, he was an active terrorist commander involved in mobilising and radicalising youth for Al Badr operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan’s official response to the killing has not been issued at the time of filing this report, and authorities in PoK have not released a formal statement regarding the incident. Investigations are underway.