Doda/Kishtwar, Feb 16 — Security agencies hunting a key commander of Jaish-e-Mohammed say he has altered his appearance and is planning to use disguises to slip past checkpoints as the manhunt in the high reaches of Kishtwar and Doda enters a critical phase.
Officials said fresh intelligence inputs indicate that Saifullah has abandoned his trademark bearded look, shaved his head and may be moving with a bald appearance to avoid recognition. Acting on the inputs, police have released dual posters depicting his altered look and circulated them across vulnerable locations.
“We have inputs that he has acquired women’s clothing and burqas, planning to disguise himself for escape,” Sandeep Mehta, Senior Superintendent of Police, Doda, said. “People are urged to immediately report any sighting or information.”
The posters, officials said, are intended to alert locals and transporters as security forces intensify checks across villages, forest tracks and mountain passes. Authorities have appealed for cooperation, assuring confidentiality for informers.
For nearly two months, joint teams have been combing the upper reaches of Kishtwar and Doda, scanning alpine belts and snowbound routes to track Saifullah and his associates. The pressure on the group increased after the killing of Adil, a Pakistani Jaish commander who had been operating alongside Saifullah for about two years, in an encounter in the Chhatroo area.
Another setback followed on January 19, when forces busted a fortified hideout at around 12,000 feet in the frozen mountains of Kishtwar. The bunker—described by officials as “Kargil-style”—had stored rations meant to sustain the militants through winter. Its discovery, officials said, stripped the group of cover and supplies.
“Since the hideout was busted, he has been on the run, keeping a low profile and rarely venturing out,” an officer said, adding that surveillance and cordon measures have been stepped up to prevent any escape to safer ground.