Bravehearts avenged: Top militant Riyaz Naikoo & associate killed

SRINAGAR: In a major success in anti-militancy operations in J&K, security forces on Wednesday killed the most wanted militant commander, Riyaz Naikoo along with his associate in Pulwama district thereby avenging the deaths of five security men 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 Mujahiddin commander and and his associate were killed early on Wednesday while another militant was killed in a separate operation in Sharshali village of Khrew area in Pulwama district away from Naikoo's encounter spot.

Confirming Naikoo's death a senior security forces officer said, "Naikoo has been neutralized along with his associate.

"We had said that the martyrdom of our bravehearts, Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, major Anuj Sood, Lance naik Dinesh Singh, naik Rakesh Kumar and sub-inspector Saqeer Khan would be avenged and that pledge has been fulfilled within three days."

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 bravehearts. Officials said the operation to eliminate Naikoo was carried out with pinpoint precision without any collateral damage.

Authorities have 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.

A video conferencing meeting was reportedly held earlier between senior officers of the Union Home Ministry and J&K top brass to address any law and order issues peacefully.

In Srinagar city, the District Magistrate announced that all curfew passes issued on or before May 5 have been cancelled and fresh passes would be issued after two days. Authorities do not want to take any chance after killing the most wanted militant commander who happened to be a Kashmiri.

No chances are being taken with the law and order situation since in a similar situation in July 2016 when Naikoo's predecessor and Hizbul poster boy chief commander, Burhan Wani was killed, said an official.

A six month long unrest had followed Burhan's death when over 100 protesters were killed in clashes with the security forces in the Valley. The overnight operation to trap Naikoo by the security forces was started on Tuesday evening when a massive search operation was launched in the native Beighpora village of Naikoo near the Awantipora town of Pulwama district. (IANS) 

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