New Delhi:
This Friday, Emraan Hashmi’s film Ground Zero will hit the screens. It is a movie that vividly brings to life one of the most significant operations carried out by India’s Border Security Force (BSF); the daring mission that led to the killing of Jaish-e-Mohammed’s notorious commander, Ghazi Baba. Ghazi Baba was the mastermind of the 2001 Parliament attack.
The film Ground Zero narrates the gritty, real-life story of how Indian security forces relentlessly hunted down Ghazi Baba. Yet, behind the cinematic thrills and high-octane drama, there lies a stark, unspoken truth – the fight against terrorism is far from over. It is a war where victories are Pyrrhic, and the source of terror remains largely untouched.
Who Was Ghazi Baba?
Rana Tahir Nadeem, commonly known as Ghazi Baba, was one of the most wanted terrorists in the world. A top commander of the Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed, Ghazi Baba was implicated in a series of high-profile attacks, the most notorious being his role in the 2001 Indian Parliament attack.
The attack, which left nine dead, escalated tensions between India and Pakistan, and Baba became a symbol of the terror that had seeped into the Indian soil from across the border.
Ghazi Baba’s name became synonymous with the violence and bloodshed that the Jaish-e-Mohammed carried out with impunity, operating from Pakistan’s safe havens, particularly under the patronage of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI.
Ghazi Baba’s criminal activities weren’t confined to just one attack – his fingerprints were all over a wave of brutal militant operations that sought to ignite religious hatred and push Kashmir further into chaos.
Operating from the covert sanctuaries in Pakistan, he managed to evade capture despite being “one of the most wanted terrorists” in the world.
It was only in 2003, after years of surveillance, intelligence gathering, and perseverance, that Ghazi Baba’s reign of terror would come to a dramatic end, thanks to a precise, high-risk operation led by Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, a senior officer of the BSF.
The Operation That Killed Ghazi Baba
It wasn’t a simple raid. It was a calculated mission – the culmination of tireless intelligence work and the bravery of men who risked their lives every day in the unforgiving terrain of Kashmir.
It had been a year and a half since the Indian Parliament attack. In July 2003, during then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit to Kashmir, a Pakistani terrorist named Ansar Bhai was caught by BSF jawans in Srinagar. He was wearing a suicide vest.
Ansar, after interrogation, revealed that he worked for Jaish-e-Mohammed and communicated with Ghazi Baba (code-named “39”) twice daily over a wireless set.
He didn’t know where Ghazi Baba was hiding, but he gave away another important lead – a carpenter who made hideouts for Jaish terrorists. This carpenter was blindfolded every time he was taken to build a safehouse, but he remembered the location of one such hideout.
Acting on this clue, Dubey and his team launched a late-night operation. They surrounded the house in Noorbagh, Srinagar. At 4.10 am, the team raided the third floor of the house. At first glance, it looked empty, with only carpets and cushions.
Mirror, Mirror On The Wall
One soldier, after hearing the carpenter whisper “sheesha” (mirror), smashed it – and that’s when the real danger was revealed. The mirror was hiding a secret entrance. As soon as it broke, there was a massive blast. Bullets flew. One jawan, Balbir Singh, died instantly. Dubey lost his fingers and almost his right hand.
Despite being severely injured, Dubey continued firing with his left hand. A grenade thrown at him was kicked back. Eventually, the man in the blue shirt lying dead inside was confirmed to be Ghazi Baba – he had died in the crossfire.
The death of Ghazi Baba marked a significant victory for the Indian forces, and a devastating blow to Jaish-e-Mohammed. This is considered the BSF’s most successful operation in five decades.
Reel Success vs Reality
While Ground Zero and many similar films have tackled the theme of counter-terrorism, covert operations and national security, portraying the heroic acts of Indian soldiers who risk everything to eliminate the bad guys, the reality is far more complicated.
Baby (2015), starring Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher and Taapsee Pannu, shows an elite team of Indian intelligence officers carrying out missions to prevent terrorist attacks. The film ends with the successful capture of Maulana Rehman, a wanted terrorist from Pakistan; a character heavily inspired from Maulana Masood Azhar, the founder of Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Phantom (2015), directed by Kabir Khan, was fictional film based on the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif play the Indian agents who go on a mission to assassinate the masterminds behind 26/11, including Lashkar-e-Taiba co-founder Hafiz Saeed.
Hafiz Saeed moved court in Pakistan back then, and the court ensured that Phantom did not get a release in the country.
Films like Baby and Phantom depict a world where the terror leaders are swiftly neutralised, providing catharsis to audiences. The reality, of course, is far from what’s on film.
What We Know About Ground Zero
Ground Zero is inspired by the true story of the operation that led to the killing of Ghazi Baba. It follows the life of a BSF officer who is posted in Kashmir and becomes deeply involved in the counter-terrorism mission. While the core of the story is about patriotism and sacrifice, it also shows the psychological toll of such high-pressure jobs.
The film, directed by Tejas Prabhaa Vijay Deoskar, stars Emraan Hashmi in the lead role of the BSF officer, heavily inspired by Narendra Nath Dubey.
Sai Tamhankar plays Hashmi’s wife, while Zoya Hussain and Rajat Kapoor also play key roles.
