FROM OPERATION 'TOPAC' to OPERATION 'SINDOOR

 

      FROM   OPERATION   'TOPAC'   to   OPERATION   'SINDOOR'

                                                                                                 (Kuldeep Khoda)   

 

During the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation war Brigradier Zia ul Haq of Pakistan army was stationed in Jordan as head of a Pakistani training mission. He couldn’t bear the humiliation of surrender of Pak army in Dacca. Ninety three thousand soldiers that included hundreds of commissioned officers and Generals laid down their arms before Indian army culminating in Pakistan breaking into two with creation of an independent country of Bangladesh.

Zia ul Haq was made Chief of Pak army by then PM of Pak Z.A.Bhutto but soon he took over as head of Pak govt after a coup which resulted in arrest of Bhutto and his subsequent execution and Zia ul Haq put into motion implementing his long conceived plan “Operation Topac”. Its essence ‘Bleed India by thousand cuts’ as a revenge to 1971 humiliation of Pakistan at the hands of Indira Gandhi, the then PM of India.

 The sinister plan started unfolding with large scale seizure of arms and ammunition by Poonch police with arrests of trans border arms smugglers in 1985 and 1986. The illicit arms mainly pistols and revolvers were getting transported to many parts of India including Kashmir. Little did we know at that time about bigger game plan of Pakistan to convert Kashmir into a proxy war zone. The intelligence agencies and political establishment didn’t go beyond fixated notion of the recoveries being just a part of arms smuggling done for profiteering. 

The months that followed saw low grade terrorist actions in the form of blasts, mainly targeting central govt establishments.

Attempted attack on DIG Watali at his Srinagar residence resulting in killing of a local militant Aijaz Dar on September 12, 1988 and recovery of AK 47 rifle from him was the first terrorist incident in Kashmir.

Recoveries by Vilgam police in Chowkibal, 4 Klashnikov rifles, pistols, hand grenades after arrest of Capt Rashid a pak terrorist on the basis of human intelligence around same time should have triggered alarm bells among Indian security agencies then, but it did not.

The then head of police underplayed the coming Tsunami for many reasons. Lacking  qualities of a leader much less for heading a force, he would take pleasure in finding faults with his subordinates and never recognise any good work. It was but natural for him to miss the bigger picture of the looming threat of terrorism originating from Pakistan. The intelligence agencies and political establishment, particularly at centre were equally responsible for not comprehending the situation which allowed the things to go out of hand in 1990.

                                  1990 – The Year of  Ethenic  Cleansing

            The year 1990 with huge exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from valley, almost the entire population of around five lacs were residing in valley moved out. The separatists propaganda attributed exodus to the then Governor Sh. Jagmohan’s plan. Despite their propaganda there are no takers for their propaganda, as the ethnic cleansing was part of well thought strategy, so that they can have a free run in executing bigger plan of capturing Kashmir. The minority community in Kashmir was also looked upon as symbol of nationalism in valley that could adversely affect the activities of anti-nationals. The easiest way to enforce migration of Pandits out of valley was to go for random as well as selective killings. The execution of the plan began in 1989, when a prominent Kashmiri Pandit leader, Tika Lal Taploo, was killed followed by hundreds of many more executions accompanied by creation of fear psychosis through propaganda from mosques, asking Kashmir Pandits to leave the valley and also pasting of bills randomly on the doors of the houses and threate killings. The security forces were not prepared to deal with the situation, and it became a routine for thousands to come on roads and generate an atmosphere of fear psychosis among pandits. In this surcharged atmosphere the `targeted killings, was the last nail and the exodus of pundits started and remained un-abated till almost complete by the end of the year. Some of the targeted killings of prominent pandits during the first eight months of 1990 which sent shock waves through out the valley included killing of Sub-Inspector, M. L. Bhan of I.B. at Nowgam on 15^th January, T. K. Razdan, Intelligence Officer of a Central agency at Gawkdal on 12^th February, Lassa Koul the then Director, Doordarshan at  Bemina on 14^th of February, Om prakash Shopkeeper at Makpora, Pulwama on 13^th April, Sarla Bhat a nurse in SKIMS Soura whose body was dismembered at Umar Colony Srinagar on 19^th April, Makhan Lal a Home Guard Jawan at Chota Bazar Srinagar on 21^st April, Sunil Kachroo at Kralyar on 23^rd  April, Ravinder Khar at Achabal, Anantanag, on 25^th April, Kushi Ram who was admitted in SMHS Hospital, Srinagar for treatment was shot dead in the hospital on his bed on 25^th April, Raj Nath a doctor at Wanpora Pulwama on 26^th April, Bharat Bushan a Medical Assistant at SKIMS at Ompora Budgam on 28^th  April, Moti Lal Pandita of Tibipora Kupwara on 30^th April, two unidentified young male of minority community at Brakpora Anantanag, on 1^stMay, Makhan Lal Thaploo at Chawalgam, Anantnag on 2^nd May, Chuni Lal Shalla Inspector of Police at Waterigam Kupwara on 3^rd May, Mohan Lal at Chakipora Kanipora on 4^th May, Manmohan at Shajad Hotel Baramulla on 19^th May, Bansi Lal at Rajghat Baramulla on 25^th May, Maharaj Krishan at Wagoora on 30^th May, Shiban Lal Raina Police Inspector at Bagh-e-Mehtab on 4^th June, Jawahar Lal Ganjoo and three more family members at Bana Mohalla Srinagar on 18^th June, Bal Jee Tatoo at Habakadal Srinagar on 2^nd June, J. N. Raina at Tulsi Bagh Srinagar on 26^th June, Ved Prakash Koul at Alikadal, Srinagar on 17^th July, Ved Lal Bhat at Sopore Baramulla on 26^th July, Omkar Nath Mattoo at Pampore on 30^th July, D.N. Choudhary at Lethpora Pulwama on 11^th August and scores of others to spread terror in the community. The killings were generally of persons well known in the area and were carried out to cover all Pandit habituated places in the valley to send a clear and loud message  and the message had desired affects resulting in near  total ethnic cleansing.

            Some other prominent killings to vitiate the atmosphere were killing of four Air force personnel at Rawalpora Srinagar  on 25^thJanuary allegedly by Yasin Malik of JKLF and his accomplices and killing of Sub-Inspector Krishan Gopal of Intelligence Bureau, Ab. Satar Ranjoor, a prominent  face of CPIM at keygam Pulwama on 23^rd March, Professor Mushir-ul-Haq and his Private Secretary, Ab. Gani at Lal Bazar on 6^th April, H. L. Khera, General Manager HMT at Qamarwari on 6^th April, Sheikh Ab. Jabar  former minister at Lar Ganderbal on 19^th April,  Head Constable Dalip Singh at Shopian on 22^nd April, Joginder Malhotra resident of  Soura at Safakadal, Srinagar on 24^th April, Mirwaiz Mohd. Farooq at Nageen on 21^st May, Gh. Hassan Shah maternal uncle of Mufti Mohd. Syed at Bijbehara on 8^th June, Ab.Aziz Khan, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, on 29^th June Nazir Ahmad Wani, Ex-MLA of National Conference at Litter Pulwama on 27^th August, Bashir Ahmad Sheikh alleged informer was blown up to pieces by fixing two bombs on his body on 4^th September, three Jawans of Border Roads Organization at Mansbal on 5^th September, Peer Mohd. Shafi Ex-MLA of National Conference at Lal Bazar on 15^thOctober, DSP Kabir Ahmad Shah and S.I. Muzaffar Hussain at Mujepatheri, Budgam on 26^th November, Mulana Mohd. Syed Masoodi at Ganderbal on 13^th December, Ab. Majid Lone, a prominent retired Police Officer at Jawahar Nagar Srinagar on 19^th December. Most of the killings were killed by JKLF, though some of the other prominent killings of non-pandits were carried out by Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (H.M).

            Year 1990 saw consolidation of JKLF and emrgence of H.M. as a prominent militant outfit. However, during 1991 many other outfits got formed leading to inner group rivalries. Consequently, many actions of theirs treaded on the toes of each other resulting in group clashes. Sometimes trouble would erupt on sharing of spoils or clash on interests or a mere suspicion of someone compromising with security forces. 18 group clashes were reported between various militant outfits mainly involving clashes between JKLF and HM. However, other outfits like Muslim Janbaz Force, Albarq, Al-umar and some lesser known outfits also got involved. In most of the clashes between JKLF and HM it was the former that suffered more and lost its men in several clashes. This year saw emergence of HM as a leading terrorist outfit and JKLF slowly began receding into background. The rivalry between JKLF and HM continued upto 1992 with former suffering heavy losses and as a result by the end of year virtually gave up arms and focused on separatist activities, thus leaving field open mainly to HM and some splinter groups.

            Meanwhile, targeting of remnant pandits continued during 1991-92. Surinder Kumar of Batagund Handwara-Kupwara was hanged to death by HM on 27^th August, 1991, Maheshwar Nath and Sham Lal were killed at Wazir bagh, Srinagar on 15^th October, O.N. Wakhlu and Khem Lata Wakhlu, were abducted by militants of Hizbullah though they were got released by security forces after being in captivity for few months. Three pandits were killed at Nai Sarak on 30^th March, 1992. The killing at Nai Sarak in the last the last major exodus of pandits from the valley dispelling the notion among non-migrant pandits that those who stayed back may be spared.

            As often happens in insurgency suspicion on each other overtakes the reality. The inter group clashes between various militant outfits became feature of the day and mere suspicion on their own leaders resulted in their elimination. Killing of Mohd. Shaban Vakil, Editor-in-Chief of Daily Al-Safa, was killed in his office by militants at Magarmal Bagh Srinagar on 23^rd April 1991 and Dr. Abdul Ahad Guru in Srinagar on 1^st April 1993, are a couple of examples though there are dozens of cases of this nature including killing large number of militants in group clashes during the initial period of militancy. The terrorist incidents started happening in Jammu region also though they were isolated in nature. A powerful bomb explosion at Railway Station Jammu on 2^nd April 1991, killing two persons and injuring seventeen others, besides, explosion at Raghunath Bazar Chowk on 3^rd September1991 resulted in injuring twenty four in the densely populated area. However, real intentions of Pak ISI to involve Jammu Region in terrorism came out openly in the year 1993,  when on 2^nd June militants abducted three persons of minority community from Bhaderwah killing two of them where as third managed his escape in injured condition. Jammu was initially targeted to relieve the security forces pressure on terrorists by security forces by large scale operations including cordon and search ops .

Targeting of Foreigners

             On 1^st April 1991, two Swedish nationals were abducted from Hydel Project Uri, who after intervention by certain quarters were released on July 6^th. On 27^th June two Israeli tourists were abducted from Nehru Park area. The abductees grappled with the terrorists and in the process one of them was able to snatch a gun from the terrorist and shot one of them dead whereas others escaped but not before the other accompanying Israeli tourist got killed while trying to overpower the terrorists. This was later followed by well known abduction of five foreigners by Al-faran, an offshoot of Pakistan based terrorist outfit Harkat-ul-Ansar (HUA) and killing four of them with one managing to escape.

 

 

After the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from Kashmir valley in the 1990’s, there have been numerous terror incidents targeting hindus, migrant labour, so called informers of Security forces, political leaders & workers in Kahmir. In 1994 Pakistan sponsored Islamic terrorists spread targeted killings of Hindus in the mountainous districts of Jammu region while raising the terror levels in Kashmir.

 

 

The first major massacre was on 5 January 1996. Lashkar-e-Taiba terroriststargetted village Barshalla of Doda district. Sixteen hindu villagers were mercilessly killed after terrorists lined them up before separating them from Muslims. The latest is the massacre of 26 including 25 hindu tourists at Pahalgam, Kashmir on 22 April, 2025 after identification of their religion. The major massacres are listed below:

 Major Massacres by Terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir

Place	Date	Year	Victims*
Pahalgam, Anantnag, Kashmir	April	2025	26
Kulhand and Tharva, Doda district	May 1	2006	23
Lalon Galla, Udhampur district	May 1	2006	13
Nandimarg, Pulwama	March 23	2003	24
Kasimpura, Jammu	July 13	2002	28
Kaluchak, Jammu	May 14	2002	36
Nirala, Rajouri	February 16	2002	8
Behra, Poonch	January 20	2002	11
Luddu and Ramsu, Doda	January 6	2002	6
Mangnar Top, Poonch	December 31	2001	6
Kantha, Rajouri	December 30	2001	4
Trinagal, Udhampur	December 2	2001	7
Galyot, Udhampur	November 30	2001	7
Legislature Complex, Srinagar	October 1	2001	35
Mehrot & Dundak, Poonch	August 27	2001	7
Sahar Badoli, Udhampur	August 15	2001	7
Jammu Railway Station	August 7	2001	11
Shrotidar, Doda	August 2	2001	15
Tagood, Doda	July 22	2001	4
Cherji, Doda	July 21	2001	15
Morha Salui, Rajouri	February 15	2001	15
Tali Mohalla, Doda district	November 23	2000	5
Sher Bibi, Doda District	November 21	2000	5
Kalaroos, Kupwara district	August 2	2000	5
Keyar, Doda district	August 2	2000	8
Pogal Paristan, Doda District	August 2	2000	14
Mir Nowgan, Anantnag district	August 2	2000	7
Mir Bazar , Anantnag district	August 2	2000	19
Pahalgam, Anantnag district	August 1	2000	30
Chatisinghpura, Anantnag District	March 20	2000	35
Thattri village, Doda District	July 20	1999	15
Kupwara District	April 29	1999	9
Chamba District, Himachal Pradesh	August 2	1998	35
Shanna-Thakaraie village, Doda District	July 28	1998	16
Champnari, Doda District	June 19	1998	26
Prankote and Dakikote, Udhampur District	April 21	1998	26
Thub Village, Udhampur District	April 19	1998	13
Wandhama	January 26	1998	26
Sangrampora, Srinagar District	March 22	1997	7
Barshalla, Doda District	January 5	1996	16

Note: In most cases the victims were Hindu residents of the area. In some cases the common identity among the victims was different. In the August 2, 2000 Mir Bazaar and August 2, 1998 Chamba massacres the victims were migrant labourers. In the March 20, 2000, Chattisinghpora massacre, the victims were local Sikh residents.

On 1 October 2001, J&K State Legislative Assembly was attacked in Srinagar and burnt by terrorists killing several persons. JeM owned responsibility for it.

There were other serious incidents like killing of 19 Army personnel an army base in Uri, Baramulla on 18 Sept 2016 by a group of 4 LeT terrorists. On 29 Sept 2016 india launched surgical strikes across LOC hitting terrorist launching pads maintained by pak army killing several terrorists.

On 14 February 2019, a convoy of Para-military force CRPF was attacked by a suicide bomber of Jaish-e-mohd killing 42 CRPF personnel. India retaliated the terror attack originating from Pakistan by air strikes at a training and recruitment centre of JeM in Balakot, Pakistan across international border to send a strong message to Pakistan to desist from infiltrating terrorists to India for terrorist activities.

22 April 2025 massacre of Indian tourists at Pahalgam by TRF (The Resistance Front) a frontal organisation of Let, was adequately responded by India through Operation Sindoor across LOC and IB by hitting major terrorist camps in Pakistan including Muridke (LeT Hqr) and Bahawalpur (JeM Hqr).

 

Other Major Pakistan sponsored terrorist incidents in India:

PLACE	DATE	YEAR	KILLED
Mumbai Serial Blasts	12 March	1993	257
Bowbazar blasts Kolkata	16 March	1993	69
Palar blast Karnataka	9 April	1993	22
RSS Office Chennai blast	8 August	1993	11
Ajmer train blasts Rajasthan	5-6 Dec	1993	2
Lajpat Nagar Blasts Delhi	21 May	1996	13
Dausa Blasts Rajasthan	22 May	1996	14
Coimbatore blasts Tamil Nadu	14 February	1998	58
Church Blasts Karnataka, Goa, & AP	May-July	2000
Chrar-i-sharief attack Kashmir	9 June	2001	4
Red Fort attack Delhi	22 Dec	2000	3
J&K State Assembly Srinagar	1 October	2001	38
Indian Parliament New Delhi	13 December	2001	7
American culture centre Kolkata	22 January	2002	5
Raghunath Temple Jammu J&K	30 March	2002	11
Akshardam Temple Gujrat	24 September	2002	31
Raghunath Temple Jammu J&K	24 November	2002	14
Mumbai Bus Blast	6 December	2002	2
Mumbai Bus Blasts	27 January	2003	1
Mulund Train Blast, Mumbai	13 March	2003	10
Gateway of India & Zaveri Bazar Blasts, Mumbai	25 August	2003	52
Nandimarg Massacre, Kashmir	23 March	2003	25
Jammu Railway station attack	2 January	2004	4
Ram Janam Bhoomi attack, Ayodhya	5 July	2005	6
Jaunpur train blast, Varanasi UP	28 July	2005	13
Delhi Serial Blasts	29 October	2005	70
IISc Bangalore attack	28 December	2005	1
Ahemdabad Rly Stn Blast	19 February	2006	0 (25 injured)
Varanasi Serial Blasts	7 March	2006	28
Mumbai Serial Train blasts	11 July	2006	209
Malegoan serial blasts Maharastra	8 September	2006	40
Samjuata Exp Train Blasts, Haryana	18 February	2007	70
Ludhiana Cinema Theatre Blasts	14 October	2007	6
Serial Blasts Varanasi, Lucknow & Faizabad UP	24 November	2007	16
CRPF Camp Rampur attack UP	1 January	2008	8
Serial Blasts Jaipur, Rajasthan	13 May	2008	71
Banglore serial blasts	25 July	2008	2
Serial Blasts Ahemdabad	26 July	2008	56
Serial Blasts Delhi Markets	13 September	2008	33
Mehrauli Blasts, Delhi	27 September	2008	3
Gujrat, Maharashtra blasts	29 September	2008	10
Mumbai attacks	26 November	2008	171
Pune Blasts	13 February	2010	17
Varanasi Blasts	7 December	2010	2
Mumbai Blasts	13 July	2011	26
Delhi blasts	7 September	2011	19
Attack on Israeli Diplomats Delhi	13 February	2012	(4 injured)
Pune Blast	1 August	2012	(1 injured)
Srinagar attack	13 March	2013	7
Patna Blasts	27 March	2013	5
Bangluru blasts	17 April	2013	(16 injured)
Srinagar attack	24 June	2013	8
Bodh Gaya Blast	7 July	2013	(5 injured)
Chennai train blast	1 May	2014	1
Bangluru blast	28 December	2014	1
Jammu attack	20 March	2015	6
Gurdaspur attack Punjab	27 July	2015	10
Pathankot Attack Punjab	2 January	2016	7
Pampore attack Kashmir	25 June	2016	8
Uri attack on army camp Kashmir	18 September	2016	19
Baramulla attack Kashmir	3 October	2016	5
Nagrota attack army camp Jammu	29 November	2016	10
Bhopal train blast MP	7 March	2017	(10 injured)
Amar Nath Yatra attack, Anantnag	11 July	2017	8
Sunjuwan  attack Jammu	10 February	2018	11
Pulwama CRPF convoy attack	14 February	2019	42
Jammu Bus Stand attack	7 March	2019	3
Kishtwar attack on RSS Jammu	9 April	2019	2
Awantipora attack Kashmir	12 June	2019	4
Poonch Rajouri attacks Jammu	20 April	2023	5
Bangluru Café Blast	1 March	2024	(9 injured)
Reasi attack on Hindu Pilgrims	9 June	2024	9
Pahalgam attack on Hindu Tourists	22 April	2025	26

Note: 1. In response to URI attack on Army camp in 2016, India launched surgical strikes across LOC in J&K and destroyed number of terrorist launching pads including neutralisation of terrorists.

2. In response to Pulwama attack on CRPF india bombed Jaish e Mohd terrorists camp at Balakot Pakistan resulting in killing of large number of terrorists.

3. In response to Pahalgam terror attack India attacked and destroyed 9 terrorist camps which included 7 in Pok in addition to destroying main Hqr of LeT at Muridke near Lahore, where LeT has been recruiting and training terrorists and Hqr of JeM at Bahawalpur which served as the main recruitment and training centre of JeM.

Note: Kuldeep Khoda ia a Former DGP of J&K Police (2007-2012), Intelligence Chief J&K Police (2000-03 & 2005_07) and Former Chief Vigilance Commissioner J&K (2013-2017). He beolngs to 1974 Batch of Indian Police Service.