Masood Azhar’s Breakdown Shows Terrorists’ Fear of India: Ex-J&K DGP

• SP Vaid says Masood Azhar’s breakdown reflects strength of India’s security grid
• Leaked audio recalls Azhar’s failed jail escape attempt in Jammu and Kashmir
• Multiple terror bids to free Azhar were foiled by security forces
• Azhar was released after IC-814 hijacking, later founded JeM

GG News Bureau
Jammu, 15th Dec: Former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police S. P. Vaid on Monday said that most wanted terrorist Masood Azhar breaking down while recalling his time in an Indian jail proves that terrorists face their “worst nightmare” in India.

Vaid’s remarks came after a leaked audio clip of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief surfaced, in which Azhar is heard breaking down during a speech in Pakistan while recalling his imprisonment in Jammu and Kashmir. Intelligence sources have confirmed the audio clip to be genuine.

Speaking to NDTV, Vaid, who was closely involved in handling Azhar during his incarceration at Kot Bhalwal jail in the early 1990s, said the episode highlights the effectiveness of India’s security apparatus. “It feels good to hear the terrorist crying. It proves the success of the Indian security grid. He is a monster who brought immense suffering to countless families,” he said.

In the audio, Azhar recounts how his attempt to escape from jail by digging a tunnel failed on the very day he planned to flee. Vaid recalled that several attempts were made by terrorists to free Azhar, including a brazen plan in which seven armed militants infiltrated with a jail map to create conditions for his escape. Security forces neutralised the terrorists before the plan could succeed.

Vaid said Azhar was considered a valuable asset by Pakistan primarily due to his oratory skills. “Terrorists like Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed are effective speakers who can radicalise people and build support bases, something the Pakistani military and ISI exploit,” he said.

The former police chief also recalled that Azhar had developed influence among inmates by distributing amulets and manipulating people during his jail stay. After his release during the hostage swap following the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in December 1999, Azhar initially resisted wearing a monkey cap, but security personnel ensured strict escort procedures.

Masood Azhar had entered India in February 1994 using a fake identity and a Portuguese passport with the objective of spreading jihad in Jammu and Kashmir. He was arrested in Anantnag the same year and remained in jail until 1999, despite repeated attempts by terrorists to secure his release.

Following his release after the IC-814 hijacking, Azhar founded Jaish-e-Mohammed, which has since been linked to several major terror attacks in India. He remains one of the country’s most wanted terrorists.

At least 10 members of Azhar’s family and four of his close aides were killed in India’s cruise missile strikes on terror infrastructure deep inside Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the killing of 26 civilians by JeM terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama, Azhar acknowledged in a statement.