Lashkar Commander Hashim Musa used honey to heal bullet wounds:Sent photos to Pakistani handler; killed in JK encounter 4 days ago

Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Musa, who was killed by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Yusmarg four days ago, reportedly treated his bullet wounds by applying honey when he was hiding in the forests of Poonch-Rajouri. Musa was the chief operational commander of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba in Jammu and Kashmir and was allegedly involved in several major terror attacks, including the 2025 Pahalgam attack. According to sources, photographs showing wounds on Musa that had been treated with honey were recovered from the phone of another Lashkar terrorist, Yasir, who was killed in September. Musa was shot during 45-day-long operation Musa sustained the gunshot wound during Operation Sheruwali in the Dorimal-Gambhir Mugla area of Rajouri. The operation to track down two terrorists continued for more than 45 days. Musa and his associate Yasir were hiding in the Poonch-Rajouri forests. With security forces maintaining a cordon around the area, Musa could not access medical treatment and reportedly resorted to applying honey to his wounds. His handlers allegedly instructed him to use only pure honey, believing that it would help the wounds heal faster and protect against infection. Musa had served in Musharraf’s VVIP security team What experts say about honey and wound healing Medical experts said the use of honey for wound care has been documented in traditional Ayurvedic practices. Dr RP Parashar, president of the All India Doctors Association of Indian System of Medicine, said texts such as the Sushruta Samhita describe the use of honey in wound treatment, known as Vrana Chikitsa. According to Parashar, honey’s wound-healing properties may be linked to its high osmotic activity, acidic pH and the production of hydrogen peroxide in some varieties. Honey also contains antimicrobial compounds that can inhibit bacterial growth. However, experts cautioned that gunshot wounds require proper medical treatment. Parashar said bullet fragments left inside a wound can complicate treatment and stressed that medical settings should use sterile, medical-grade honey, rather than ordinary honey. A research paper published in Food Science and Engineering has also reported that honey dressings may support wound healing, help prevent infection and reduce pain. Veterinary expert Dr Jahanzeb Sirwal said honey can act as an osmotic agent, drawing fluid out of wounds and potentially helping remove dead tissue and reduce swelling. He said honey is sometimes used for treating injuries and burns in remote areas where access to conventional medical care is limited. Musa was former Pakistan Army personnel According to ANI sources, Mohammad Asif alias Musa was born on March 7, 1980, and joined the Pakistan Army in 2000 with service number PA-3106947. He later retired as a havildar. He joined the Pakistan Army’s Special Services Group (SSG) in 2005 and served with the 4 Commando ‘Yalgar’ Battalion. From 2006, he was posted in Balochistan. Between 2006 and 2009, Musa allegedly served as part of former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s VVIP security team. Musa linked to several major terror attacks Musa had been wanted for years and was accused of involvement in more than a dozen attacks on security forces and civilians. He was allegedly involved in the April 2023 Bhatta Durrian attack in Poonch, in which five soldiers were killed. In May 2023, an explosion in Rajouri’s Kandi forest killed five commandos. In December 2023, Musa allegedly led an ambush on Army vehicles in Dera Ki Gali, Poonch, killing five soldiers. In May 2024, an Indian Air Force convoy was attacked near Shahsitar in Poonch. One IAF personnel was killed and five others were injured. He was also allegedly linked to the June 2024 Reasi terror attack, in which nine pilgrims were killed and 43 injured when terrorists targeted a bus travelling to Shiv Khori. On October 20, 2024, terrorists attacked a construction camp for the Gagangeer tunnel project in Ganderbal, killing seven people, including a local doctor. Four days later, an Army vehicle was ambushed in Butapathri, Baramulla, killing two soldiers and two Civil Defence porters. Other terrorists killed in September On September 17, two Pakistani terrorists linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed were killed in Udhampur. On September 9, the decomposed body of a Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist was recovered from Doda during a joint search operation by the SOG, Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF. An M4 rifle with night-vision capability was also recovered. Police said the terrorist had been killed in an encounter in the Seojdhar forests on September 6, but his body was recovered later because of the difficult terrain. Another Lashkar terrorist, Yasir, was killed in Budgam in September. He was allegedly involved in the 2024 Poonch attack on an Indian Air Force convoy, in which one IAF personnel was killed.