Slain Hizbul commander Abdul Qayoom Najar was an IED expert, involved in 50 killings

Srinagar: Top Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Abdul Qayoom Najar was killed in a gunbattle with security forces near the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector in Baramulla on Tuesday as he was trying to sneak into the valley to take charge of the outfit. 

"Najar was killed as security forces foiled an infiltration bid near Zorawar post in Lachipora area along the LoC on Tuesday morning," Baramulla Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Imtiyaz Hussain told reporters.

His elimination is considered to be a major success for the security forces as he was already heading a huge network in Sopore, Palhallan, Pattan, Handwara areas of Bandipora and Baramulla. 

Here's what we know about the slain Hizbul militant: 

Najar, a resident of Sopore township, was considered to be one of the most dreaded terrorists in Kashmir in the recent times. He was reportedly carrying a bounty of Rs 10 lakh rupees on his head.

He, 43, joined the insurgency in the early 90's when he was 16-year-old and had gone to Pakistan in 2015. 

He was among the longest-surviving Kashmiri militants and was believed to not even trust his family members. He was wanted for his alleged involvement in more than 50 killings, including that of four policemen in Hygam area of Sopore, in the past 17 years.

He was also involved in attacks on telecommunications towers across the valley in 2015.

He was also involved in a lot of IED explosions because he was an IED expert. While he was trying to infiltrate into this side, he was carrying IED material with him.

He was returning to Kashmir to take over the command of Hizbul Mujahideen in the wake of the elimination of top commanders of the outfit by security forces.

Najar was sent by the United Jehad Council's commander Syed Salahudin to revive the Hizbul Mujahideen, whose commanders of north Kashmir Pervaiz Wani and Yasin Yatoo were killed recently.

In 2015, after he fell out with the Hizbul and separatist leaderships, he was called to the base camp in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir by his handlers. He was sent back to Kashmir after the killings of the outfit's north Kashmir commander Parvez Wani and south Kashmir commander Yasin Yatto.

(With Agency inputs)