Security forces nab absconding militant Anwar Ali Chouhan in Kashmir after 18 years

Security forces have arrested Anwar Ali Chouhan, a fugitive militant who had been evading capture for nearly 18 years. He was taken into custody from a forested area near Gujjar Kothian in Reasi after a long search operation by Kashmir police.

Chouhan, 40, son of Haji Nizam Din Chouhan alias Jamsheer, is a resident of Gujjar Kothian. He joined Hizbul Mujahideen in 2001 and remained active for seven years before surrendering in 2007. After his surrender, he managed to escape arrest by frequently changing locations in Kashmir and other areas. 

Authorities had been tracking him for his involvement in militant activities, conducting multiple raids in Gujjar Kothian, Chinore (Jammu), and Kherpora (Anantnag), but he remained elusive. Due to his continued absence, he was declared an absconder under sections 82 and 83 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

Chouhan was wanted in multiple criminal cases.  He was involved in an attack in Jadd forest, Talwara, where militants opened fire on security forces and later escaped into the dense forest. A grenade was later recovered from the site, and investigations linked him to the attack. 

Another case, registered on April 7, 2006, booked him under sections 302, 307, 120B, 121(A), 212, and 216 of the Ranbir Penal Code, along with Section 7/27 of the Arms Act and Section 3 of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety (JKPS) Act. He was implicated in a grenade attack on a passenger bus at Baradari, Reasi, which injured five people. The father of then Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Headquarters, Reasi, succumbed to his injuries.

Based on intelligence inputs, police intensified their efforts and finally apprehended Chouhan from a forested area near Gujjar Kothian, putting an end to his years of hiding. 

His arrest is considered a breakthrough in the security forces' efforts to track down absconding militants and bring them to justice. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to ensuring that individuals involved in past militant activities face legal consequences. In a related development, police in Sopore, Baramulla have arrested another absconder evading arrest since 2012.

Nayeem Ahmad War, a resident of Warpora Sopore, was wanted in connection with a case filed in 2012, under sections 454 and 380 of the RPC at Sopore police station. An arrest warrant was issued by the court in Sopore against him. He has been lodged in judicial custody until February 25.