Interpol Issues Red Notice Against Hizbul Terrorist
SIA secures international arrest notice for accused in 2013 Sopore police ambush
- Interpol issues Red Corner Notice against Hizbul commander Imtiyaz Ahmad Kandoo.
- Kandoo is the prime accused in the 2013 Sopore ambush that killed four policemen.
- SIA reopened the case in 2024 and chargesheeted six accused.
- Terrorist wanted in multiple cases involving killings, arms smuggling and narco-terror.
GG News Bureau
Srinagar, 11th July: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) Kashmir has secured an Interpol Red Corner Notice against Hizbul Mujahideen commander Imtiyaz Ahmad Kandoo, the prime accused in the 2013 terrorist ambush in Sopore that claimed the lives of four Jammu and Kashmir policemen.
According to the SIA, Interpol issued the international arrest notice against Kandoo, also known by the aliases Fayaz and Sajad, who is believed to have fled to Pakistan after orchestrating the attack.
The ambush took place on April 26, 2013, in Peer Mohalla, Hygam, Sopore, when terrorists opened fire on a police patrol, killing all four personnel on the spot. The case remained unresolved for years before being transferred to the SIA in 2024 for a fresh investigation.
Officials said investigators reconstructed the conspiracy through witness statements, forensic examination, weapons tracing and other evidence before filing a chargesheet in July 2024 against six accused.
Of the six, Tariq Ahmad Mir of Handwara and Qayoom Najar of Sopore were later killed in separate security encounters. Three others—Javid Ahmad Mattoo, Rouf Najar and Ahmadullah Malla—have been arrested and are currently facing trial. Kandoo remains the only absconding accused.
A resident of Kraltang in Sopore, Kandoo allegedly joined Hizbul Mujahideen in 2010 and later rose to become one of its commanders. The Union Government designated him an individual terrorist in October 2022.
The SIA said its investigation linked Kandoo to at least 10 other terror-related cases, including targeted killings that claimed more than 15 lives, arms smuggling and narco-terror financing used to fund terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Red Corner Notice enables law enforcement agencies in Interpol member countries to locate, detain and facilitate extradition proceedings against Kandoo if he is traced abroad.
Describing the development as a significant milestone, the SIA said the international notice reflects its continued efforts to pursue long-pending terrorism cases across borders and ensure that fugitives involved in terror-related crimes are brought to justice.
