Srinagar, October 4 – In a significant crackdown on terror funding and operatives, Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday seized properties worth approximately ₹2 crore belonging to Sheikh Sajjad Ahmad Sheikh alias Sajjad Gul, a top handler of The Resistance Front (TRF), the proxy outfit of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Sajjad Gul, who carries a reward of ₹10 lakh on his head, has been absconding for over eight years and is believed to be hiding in Pakistan. He is wanted in connection with more than 30 targeted killings in Kashmir, including attacks on minorities and non-local civilians. He has also been linked to the high-profile Pahalgam attack.
According to officials, Sajjad Gul received his early education in Srinagar and later pursued a course in Bengaluru. Shortly afterward, he became involved in terrorist activities. Initially, he served as an overground worker (OGW), helping militants with logistics and funding.
In 2002, he was arrested in a hawala case and spent some time in jail. Although he briefly attempted to live a normal life after his release, he eventually returned to militant activities. In 2017, to evade security agencies, he fled to Pakistan using a fake passport.
Once in Pakistan, Gul took over the Kashmir wing of Lashkar-e-Taiba’s online propaganda operations and began running their media mouthpiece “Kashmir Fights.” He used his local network in the Valley to identify individuals opposing the terrorist agenda and would issue hit lists accordingly. He has also played a key role in radicalizing and recruiting local youth into militant ranks.
In 2019, he became a part of the TRF’s central command council. Since then, his name has surfaced in investigations related to nearly every targeted killing in Kashmir.
Police officials confirmed that Saturday’s property seizure was carried out under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and sections 2/3 of the Enemy Agents Ordinance (EIMCO), as part of an ongoing investigation registered in 2022 at the Parimpora Police Station.
