Hizbul Mujahideen Commander “Human GPS” Bagu Khan Killed in Gurez Encounter, Major Setback for Terror Network

Srinagar: Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir achieved a significant success on Saturday after neutralising two terrorists during a fierce encounter in the Gurez sector. Among those killed was Hizbul Mujahideen’s top commander, Bagu Khan, infamously known as the “human GPS” and “Samandar Chacha.”

According to security officials, the encounter broke out when alert troops foiled an infiltration attempt in the Nowshera Naar area near the Line of Control. Khan, a resident of Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, had been operating in terror circles for over 25 years. His deep familiarity with the rugged terrain made him a key facilitator of cross-border infiltration, reportedly enabling over 100 such attempts in the Gurez sector.

“This operation marks a serious blow to the Hizbul Mujahideen network in the Valley. Khan was a major handler who provided both guidance and safe passage to infiltrators,” a senior officer said.

The Indian Army’s Chinar Corps, in a post on X, confirmed that the operation was based on specific intelligence inputs from Jammu and Kashmir Police. “Alert troops spotted suspicious movement and challenged the infiltrators. The terrorists opened indiscriminate fire, which was effectively retaliated, leading to the neutralisation of two terrorists,” the statement read.

This is the second infiltration attempt foiled by security forces in the Gurez sector within a week. Just days earlier, two other terrorists were gunned down in a similar operation.

The elimination of Khan recalls the Army’s Operation Mahadev in July this year, where three terrorists involved in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack were eliminated.