Top terrorist Riyaz Naikoo, carrying reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head, killed by security forces in J&K's Awantipora

The security forces on Wednesday trapped a top terrorist after an overnight operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Awantipora.

SRINAGAR: The security forces on Wednesday trapped and killed the most wanted and Pakistan-supported Hizb-ul-Mujahideen's top terror commander Riyaz Naikoo along with his associate in an encounter in Beighpora village of Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir.

With this, the security forces also avenged the deaths of five security men recently killed in Kupwara district on May 3. Naikoo, Kashmir`s most wanted terrorist and Hizbul chief was trapped late on Tuesday in his native Beighpora village in Jammu and Kashmir`s Pulwama district.

The Hizbul Mujahideen commander and his associate were killed early on Wednesday while another terrorist was killed in a separate operation in Sharshali village of Khrew area in Pulwama district away from Naikoo`s encounter spot.

Two terrorists, a Pakistan national and a local terrorist were also killed in the encounter in Chanjimulla village of Handwara tehsil on May 3 along with martyrs.

Soon after his death was confirmed, #RiyazNaikoo became a top trend on Twitter.

According to officials, the operation to eliminate Naikoo was carried out with pinpoint precision without any collateral damage. After receiving credible information that the top Hizbul Mujahideen commander had come to visit his home in Beighpora village, the joint operation by the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police began. The security forces also sealed all entry and exit points of the village.

Authorities had suspended mobile Internet across the Kashmir Valley and imposed curfew in most major towns of the valley to ensure that no ugly fallout of Naikoo`s death affects the law and order.

Riyaz Naikoo took over as the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfit`s poster boy and commander Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in the Kokarnag area in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016.

Naikoo carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head. Naikoo had been masterminding the killings of local policemen to put pressure on them not to engage in anti-militancy operations.

It was because of this threat perception that policemen were advised not to visit their homes especially in South Kashmir districts where Naikoo held sway among the militant ranks.

Before joining the terror ranks, Naikoo worked as a mathematics teacher at a local school. He was known to have a passion for painting roses before he picked up the gun at the age of 33.

In another operation, the security forces had earlier killed one terrorist in the Sharsali area of Khrew Panpore in the Southern part of Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Reports said that a joint team of Army's 50RR, 185 BN of CRPF, and police launched cordon and search operation in the Sharsali area of Khrew. During cordon and search operation, a brief exchange of fire took place between security personnel and terrorists. Security forces then tightened the cordon around the suspected spot and killed the terrorist. A search operation is still on in the area.

Meanwhile, a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist was also arrested and arms and ammunition seized from his possession in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The JeM terrorist was arrested in Satura village of Tral area of the south Kashmir district late Tuesday night, a police official said.

On Tuesday (March 5), a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel sustained minor splinter injuries below the knee after unidentified terrorists hurled a grenade on the troops of 181 Battalion of the CRPF at Pakherpora in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday (May 5). CRPF sources said four civilians were also injured in the incident.

The attack took place hours after a terrorist was arrested by security forces in Gundana tehsil in Doda district. He has been identified as Tanveer Ahmad Malik. The security forces, however, are yet to ascertain the group affiliation of Tanveer.