In a major blow to militancy in Kashmir, the security forces killed the chief operations commander of Hizbul Mujahideen Riyaz Naikoo in an encounter at Beighpora, in Awantipora in south Kashmir on Wednesday.
Naikoo was the most-wanted militant commander in Kashmir and had a bounty of Rs 1.2 million on his head.
Soon after the news of his killing spread, the authorities snapped the internet to prevent a backlash.
Naikoo’s killing has taken place at a time when militants have intensified attacks on security forces: Fifteen security men, including an Army colonel, a major, four Special Forces men (Paras) and three CRPF men have died, since April 1.
The attacks on security forces by militants, especially, by the new group The Resistance Front (TRF), have come after security forces killed more than 30 militants across Kashmir since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown.
Security forces in Kashmir believe that TRF is Lashkar-e-Taiba in disguise and is being used to boost the morale of the militants, who are at the receiving end of security forces action.
The security forces had laid siege to Beighpora on Tuesday night but contact with the militants was established on Wednesday morning.
Naikoo was active since 2012 and was considered the brains behind the group's activities in Kashmir, especially in south Kashmir.
The Army spokesman in Srinagar issued a brief statement about the operation and said ‘’two terrorists have been killed in a joint operation. The operation is in progress’’.
The killing of Naikoo is likely to create a vacuum in the leadership of Hizbul and also put pressure on the Hizbul commanders in Pakistan.
Naikoo had taken over the command of the group after Zakir Bhat alias Zakir Musa—who replaced Burhan Wani, who was killed in 2016—had said nationalism and democracy are not permissible in Islam.
"When we pick up stones or guns, it should not be with this intention that we are fighting for Kashmir. The sole motive should be for the supremacy of Islam, so that Shariah is established here,” Musa had said.
The call for Shariah left many surprised in Kashmir. His statements were in contradiction to the Hizbul policy of merger of Kashmir with Pakistan. That created a rift between him and other militants of Hizbul.
Musa then cut ties with Hizbul and allied himself with an al Qaeda outfit, Ansar Ghawzat-Ul-Hind (AGH), in July 2017.
That led to Naikoo taking over the command of Hizbul. He worked hard to keep Hizbul intact and succeeded in wooing more cadres to the group and tried to minimise the influence of AGH in south Kashmir. After Musa was killed in an encounter in May 2019, Hizbul became more active under Naikoo in south Kashmir.
Naikoo was also instrumental in psychological warfare against police. He was instrumental in ordering the abduction of police for the alleged harassment of militants’ kin in south Kashmir by security forces.
The abduction of the police had a demoralising impact on the police and led to several resignations.
Born 1985 at Beighpora in Pulwama in a farmer’s family, the formative years of Naikoo were spent in schooling and helping his father in the farms and at home.
Naikoo’s neighbours considered him as being well behaved and religious. He was good in studies and after graduation taught maths at a private school.