Srinagar: A day after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo in an encounter in southern Kashmir's Beighopora village, police said that his killing is a "big success" and had been tracking him very closely for the last six months.
Inspector-General of Police (Kashmir Zone) Vijay Kumar said that Naikoo's killing will help contain militancy in Kashmir as he would motivate youth to join militants by frequently releasing videos and audios on social media.
"We tracked rigorously his movement from the last six months and yesterday (Wednesday) we finally got him in at Beighpora Awantipora along with another militant in a house," Kumar told media persons here.
The 35-year-old Naikoo had joined HM in 2012 and led the outfit from the last three years as chief operational commander in Kashmir. He was killed in his native village, Beighpora, on Wednesday morning.
The IGP said that Naikoo’s killing is a big success for us and a major jolt for Hizbul and entering militancy in Kashmir.
"His killing will help contain overall militancy in the Valley as he was a very influential militant, who would release videos almost every month to lure youth towards militancy," Kumar said.
The killing of Naikoo led to protests at Beighpora in which several protesters were injured, of which 19 were hospitalized. Fearing an escalation of protests amid COVID-19 lockdown, authorities have suspended internet and mobile calling from Wednesday.
The Kashmir police chief said that communication clampdown was needed "to prevent rumour-mongering and to maintain law and order".
He said that communication networks will be restored once security agencies feel that the situation has become normal.
During the lockdown, security forces have intensified anti-militant operations across Kashmir and have gunned down 40 militants. However, the police have not handed over the bodies of these militants to their families.
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Giving details of the anti-militant operation from January this year, the IGP said that 64 militants have been killed in 27 encounters in which top commanders including Riyaz Naikoo of HM, Haider of LeT were killed.
The IGP said that until COVID-19 pandemic is over bodies of militants will not be handed over to their families for burial.
Over the emergence of a new militant outfit, The Resistance Front (TRF), in Kashmir, the IGP said it is not a new outfit but several militants from Lashkar-e-Taiba and HM have joined to float this new outfit to show it is local militancy and not supported by Pakistan.
"Pakistan has been feeling pressure in the world to curb militancy. So to show the world that it does not support militancy in Kashmir, LeT militants and some from HM have named it TRF," he said.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of Police Dilbagh Singh has applauded the police and other security forces for carrying out "successful operation" to kill militants including Riyaz Naikoo.
Singh said that stone-pelting erupted during the encounter in which several protesters were injured. However, security force personnel were injured during the stone-pelting, he said.
