Farooq Ahmed Dar

Farooq Ahmed Dar known by his nom de guerre Bitta Karate, is a Kashmiri separatist and Ex militant who currently in the Tihar Jail right now, is from Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Dubbed as the "Butcher of Pandits," due to a confession interview Dar has admitted on camera to massacring multiple Kashmiri Hindu Pandits during the 1990 Kashmir insurgency leading up to the Exodus of Kashmiri Hindus. He was imprisoned from 1990 until 2006 under terrorism-related charges before being released on bail. He was arrested again in 2019 for financing terrorism.

Early life Dar was born on 1 January 1973 in the Guru Bazar neighbourhood of the city of Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India into a Kashmiri Muslim family of the Dar clan. While "Bitta" was his pet name, he was given the suffix "Karate" because of his mastery in martial arts. Dar used to work for his family business until he left his home to become a militant in his early 20s. He became infamous during the militancy of the 1990s.

Militancy In 1988, Farooq Ahmed Dar was taken across the LoC to Pakistan-administered Kashmir by the then JKLF chief commander Ashfaq Majeed Wani for armed training. Dar was blindfolded and then taken to Pakistan-administered Kashmir along with other "trainees" where they received 32-day armed training.

Farooq Ahmad Dar operated as a militant of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front and participated in the militant activities. He apparently used to get orders (for execution) from Ashfaq Majeed Wani or other superiors in the JKLF.

2006 indefinite bail and release On 23 October 2006, a court enforcing Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA court) in Jammu granted bail to Dar and he was handed over to his family on 25 October 2006.