Police today busted a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) module with the arrest of Sandeep Kumar, a resident of Uttar Pardesh, who according to the police worked as an active LeT militant in South Kashmir. Kumar, is not the first Hindu who took up arms in the new age militancy post Burhan Wani phenomena.

Before new age militants took its roots in the valley, around a dozen men belonging to Hindu community joined militant outfits in the state, particularly in Chenab valley of Jammu region. Among them was Kuldeep Kumar, a resident of Zohand village of Doda district.

Kuldeep joined Hizbul Mujahideen outfit in 2001 and reportedly converted to Islam and changed his name to Kamraan Fareedi. Kuldeep was named as a section commander of the outfit before he was shot dead by the forces in an encounter on 26 August, 2006.

Kuldeep was among the dozen youth from the Hindu community who joined militant groups in Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts. While many of them surrendered before the forces, some were killed in gunfights with the forces.

Bipin Kumar, a resident of Kishtwar was longest serving Hindu militant, who joined ranks of Harkat-ul-Ansar in 1996 and was killed in an encounter in November 2008.

According to a report by Tehelka.com quoting police sources, four Hindu militants were killed since the militancy erupted in the state.

In 2011,  then the IGP of Jammu Zone Dilbagh Singh said, “So far four Hindu militant commanders of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen – Uttam Singh alias Saifullah, Kuldeep Kumar alias Kamran and Subash Chander Shaan and Bipin Kumar – were killed in 22 years long militancy in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Most of the militants, who were active in 2012, either surrendered or were killed by the forces.

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