Srinagar/New Delhi, Oct 4: Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Mohd Asif alias Hashim Moosa, who was killed in a recent Army operation in Kashmir, allegedly used pure honey on bullet wounds while hiding in the forests of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
Moosa, identified by security agencies as a senior operational commander of the banned terror outfit and an alleged mastermind of the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, was killed during a high-altitude operation in Yousmarg, Budgam, earlier this week.
According to officials, Moosa had sustained bullet injuries during an earlier encounter in the Dorimal-Gambhir Moghla area of Rajouri during Operation Sheruwali. The operation continued for more than 45 days as security forces searched for two terrorists, later identified as Moosa and his associate Yasir.
While hiding in the forests of Poonch and Rajouri, Moosa allegedly applied honey to his wounds after being cut off from medical assistance due to the security cordon, officials said.
Following Yasir's death in the higher reaches of Yousmarg in September, security forces reportedly recovered a phone containing photographs of Moosa's injuries treated with honey. The images were allegedly sent across the border to handlers in Pakistan, officials said.
The handlers reportedly instructed associates to ensure that the honey being used was pure, officials added.
Experts Explain Honey's Wound-Care Properties
Medical experts said honey has traditionally been used in some systems of medicine for wound care. Dr R P Parasher, President of the All India Doctors Association of Indian System of Medicine, said Ayurveda has long referred to honey in wound management.
He said honey's osmotic properties, acidic pH and certain antimicrobial components may help create an environment that inhibits microbial growth.
However, he cautioned that gunshot wounds require proper medical treatment, including thorough cleaning and removal of foreign material, and that medical-grade sterile honey should be used in clinical settings to reduce the risk of infection.
Other experts also noted that honey can draw fluid from a wound and may assist with wound cleaning and tissue repair, but stressed that it is not a substitute for professional treatment of serious injuries.
Moosa Linked To Multiple Terror Attacks
Officials said Moosa had been the subject of an intensive security operation for several years and was allegedly involved in multiple attacks targeting security forces and civilians.
He was allegedly linked to the April 2023 Bhatta Duriyan ambush in Poonch, in which five Army personnel were killed, and the May 2023 Kandi forest attack in Rajouri, which claimed the lives of five security personnel.
In December 2023, he was allegedly involved in the Dera Ki Gali ambush in Poonch, in which four military personnel were killed. He was also accused of involvement in the May 2024 attack on an Indian Air Force convoy near Shasitar, in which an airman was killed.
Later in 2024, security agencies linked his network to attacks on civilians and infrastructure, including the October 2024 attack at a construction camp near the Gagangir tunnel project in Ganderbal, where seven people were killed.
Four days later, an Army vehicle was ambushed in Butapathri, resulting in the deaths of two soldiers and two civilian defence porters, according to officials.
