In Guns Under My Chinar, former chief of police A.M. Watali of the Kashmir Valley reveals how covert warfare, espionage and geopolitical manoeuvres have shaped and reshaped the geopolitical landscape of Kashmir.

From the region’s first bank robbery by Al Fatah to the failed assassination attempt of Indira Gandhi to the brutal lynching of Ayub Pandit, Watali offers gripping accounts that go deep into the heart of the strife that has engulfed the Valley since 1947. Recounting his meetings with Mumbai underworld dons Karim Lala and Haji Mastan and the harrowing experience of surviving assassination attempts, Watali pulls back the curtain on a world of intrigue and danger in riveting detail.

Guns Under My Chinar: Kashmir’s Covert Wars is not only a meticulously detailed account but also a fearless exploration of the big games played by vested interests. It provides a rare glimpse into a clandestine world with its wealth of untold stories and valuable insights.

This book serves as a wake-up call, challenging policymakers and historians to rethink their understanding of the solution to the Kashmir issue.