**Malkandpedia**
**Two Graves, One Path, One History...**
The first image is of the grave of Major Leslie William Hazlett Beast, the Political Agent of Malakand Agency. The second image is of the grave of Ghazi Muhammad Utman Khel Baba, the very same Ghazi who assassinated Major Hazlett Best with a sniper shot. The third image shows the location where Major Hazlett Best was killed, a place connected to the village of Agra in District Malakand.
**The Story of the Death of Major Leslie William Hazlett Best**
Major Best served as the Political Agent of Malakand Agency from 1933 to 1935. In 1914 and 1935, when the British established Levy Force posts in the areas of Kot and Agra in Malakand Agency, they launched raids on the regions of Kot, Agra, Selipat, and Toti. The main reason for these raids was an incident in the village of Dhery in Malakand Agency. A man named Sher Malik's son, from Dhery, and a Hindu girl ran away from their homes due to love and took refuge in Agra village. The girl's parents complained to the British Political Administration in Malakand, accusing Sher Malik's son of kidnapping their daughter.
In response, the Political Agent of Malakand Agency, Mr. Best, ordered the elders of Agra to hand over the boy and the girl to the administration. However, the elders of Agra refused to comply. Consequently, Mr. Best launched an attack on Agra with the help of the Levy Force. The people of Toti, Selipat, and Kot also joined the battle, while Faqir Ul-Umrah, from Afghanistan, came to assist them. This led to a state of war.
When Mr. Best arrived at Agra, he was immediately targeted by the sniper shot of Ghazi Muhammad Baba from Shamozi. He was struck and died on the spot. Mr. Best's body was then taken to the village of Hariankot and later brought to Peshawar, where he was buried in the European Cemetery.
At the same time, two members of the Malakand Levy Force, Gul Hassan and Noorab Gul, both from Kot, and two personnel from the Dier Levy Force, also lost their lives in the battle. Following this, bombings were carried out on Agra village by warplanes. Under immense pressure, the elders of Agra finally agreed to hand over the Hindu girl and the boy to the Malakand administration. The Hindu girl was returned to her parents, and Sher Malik's son was imprisoned.
*Amjad Ali Utman Khel*
For the image of the grave of Ghazi Muhammad Utman Khel Baba, special thanks to Fida Hussain, Headmaster.
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