Kashmir’s Most Wanted Terrorist Riyaz Naikoo Eliminate In Pulwama Encounter

The force learned Naikoo was close to the Pakistan-based Hizbul chief, Syed Salahuddin, who was declared a global terrorist by the US in 2017

MUMBAI| On Wednesday the most wanted Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Riyaz Naikoo has been eliminated along with an associate by the joint team of the security forces in Kashmir’s Pulwama district, a senior security official said.

Riyaz Naikoo was the leader of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen in Kashmir valley, has been trapped in the operation in Beighbora village of Pulwama district in the early hours of the day. Jammu and Kashmir director general of Police Dilbag Singh was supervising the operation.

Following the news, a senior police officer said the elimination of the Riyaz Naikoo is a huge success.

Naikoo was the successor of the terror group after Kashmir Commander Burhan Wani was shot down in July 2016.

Naikoo studied technology, before joining the terror group Hizbul Mujahideen Naikoo use to give private tuitions to school students. Naikoo was said to be the crucial player in holding the terror group in the valley after the group’s Zakir Musa split the outfit in 2017 to form his own group Ansar Ghazwatul Hind.

Zakir Musa’s was killed in the Tral encounter last year in May. His new outfit was claimed by Al Qaeda due to his death he failed to lead the outfit.

Naikoo, however, had been awfully lucky. In Kashmir, where the career span of terrorists rarely exceeds four years, Naikoo lasted eight years.

Naikoo was cornered by the security forces in Kashmir on several occasions but had managed to slip each time. This time proves to be the hard one for Naikoo as soon as J&K police got to know about the presence of the Kashmir most wanted terrorist, Police chief Dilbag Singh quickly got into the picture to oversee the entire operation.