Riyaz Naikoo, Hizbul commander India's most wanted terrorist encountered in Kashmir

Riyaz Naikoo, Hizbul commander India's most wanted terrorist encountered in Kashmir:-

Introduction-mmu: The security system on the country's borders has become more circumspect due to the terrorist attacks happening in the country. Bomb blasts are being carried out continuously by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir of the country. Once again the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have achieved great success on the terrorists. During the encounter in Shopian district of South Kashmir, security forces surrounded 2 of the 3 terrorists and killed 1. According to the news, security forces have killed Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naiku in an encounter with militants in Begpura of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir.

Riyaz Naikoo, Kashmir's most wanted terrorist, carries Rs 12 lakh reward:

The gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district has brought the spotlight back on Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo, the most wanted terrorist in the valley.

Security forces had launched the operation to nab Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Riyaz Naikoo on Tuesday night on a specific input Beigpora Gulzapora in Awantipora.

'Contact established in the third operation at #Beighpors #Awantipur. Top terrorist commander is trapped. Exchange of fire on. Details shall follow,' J&K police tweeted.
Riyaz Naikoo took over as the chief of Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfit's poster boy Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Kokarnag area in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016.
A post-graduate, he carries a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head.
Top Hizbul terrorist with Rs 12 lakh bounty cornered in J&K's Awantipora.

More about that incident:

After killing a terrorist in the Awantipora sector of the Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir, security forces have a cornered a top terrorist in the area after an overnight operation.
The terrorist has been identified as as Riyaz Naikoo - a top Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen commander. He carries a bounty of Rs 12 lakh on his head.
If the security forces are able to arrested or eliminate Naikoo in the encounter, it will be a major blow to the local terror groups active in the area, especially Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen.
The operation began on Tuesday night after the forces received a tip-off about the presence of a top terrorist in the area.
Naikoo rose in the ranks of the Hizbul Mujahideen eight months after the killing of Burhan Wani. While the killing of Naikoo avenges the deaths of our security personnel, it also comes as a major relief for the security forces as he was a master at propaganda.
In the Hizbul Mujahideen he very quickly rose to become the operational commander of the outfit.
After taking over the spoils, he launched a massive campaign asking the policemen in the Valley to give up their jobs and join the Hizbul. He was also the one who urged terrorists to stage gun salutes at the funeral of terrorists. He had also planned the abduction day in which it was decided to kidnap the families of police officers who did not shun the force.
Intelligence Bureau officials whom OneIndia spoke with explain that the death is significant in a lot of ways. He was more dangerous because of his propaganda. He also held a considerable amount of sway with the youth and was capable of recruiting in large numbers. However, it was post the abrogation of Article 370 and thanks to the strict security measures in place, the recruitment spree into the outfit had gone down, the official also said.

What do we know about Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo?

1. Riyaz Naikoo, 35, was among the oldest surviving members of the Hizbul Mujahideen. Riyaz Naikoo, the indigenous face of Kashmir militancy, was a top rated (A++ category) terrorist and carried a bounty of Rs 12 lakh on his head.

2. A resident of Awantipora district, Riyaz Naikoo was wanted in multiple incidents of killing of personnel, including police officials. Riyaz Naikoo also featured in photographs with Burhan Wani, who was killed in Anantnag in July, 2016.

3. Riyaz Naikoo rose to the top post after the killings of of Hizbul's poster boy Burhan Wani and another militant commander Saddam. The tech-savvy Naikoo, like Burhan Wani, turned to social media to communicate.

4. Riyaz Naikoo came into the limelight in January, 2016 when he arrived during the funeral procession of Shariq Ahmad Bhat, who had been killed in an encounter. Naikoo, who was carrying Kalashnikov rifles, made his way towards Bhat's body and fired several shots in the air. The incident was seen as a revival of an earlier tradition of paying tributes to slain militants in Kashmir. Since then, the gun-totting Naikoo was often seen at funerals.

5. Naikoo was cornered by security forces in Kashmir on several ocassions but he managed to escape every time. Security forces worked hard to trap the top commander in 2018-2019, but he continued to play hide and seek.

6. Security forces even tracked Riyaz Naikoo love liaisons. An officer said once they tracked down a message to his lover for whom Naikoo wrote “you remind me of the chinar tree”. But each time a cordon was laid, Naikoo managed to slip away. Riyaz Naikoo once hoodwinked a top officer by saying that he would surrender in 2018. He never did.

7. On Tuesday night, however, intelligence input was “very specific”. Multiple fields and railway tracks were dug up following inputs about possible tunnels or underground hideout. Search was called off at 1 am even as the cordon remained. At 9 am, the contact was established and firefight ensued. He was killed in the encounter.

Here is the list of the top 10 most wanted terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir:

1. Riyaz Naiku alias Mohammed Bin Qasim
A ++ category terrorist
Involved in terror activities since 2010.

2. Wasim Ahmed alias Osama
District Commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba.

3. Mohammad Ashraf Khan alias Ashraf Maulvi
Belongs to the Hizbul Mujahideen
Active in Anantnag.

4. Mehrazuddin
District Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen in Baramulla.

5. Dr. Saifullah alias Saifullah Mir alias Dr. Saif
Actively trying to increase the cadre of Hizbul Mujahideen in Srinagar.

6. Arshad ul Haq
District Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen in Pulwama
Belongs to A ++ category.

7. Hafiz Omar
Operational commander of JeM
Resident of Pakistan

8. Zaheed Sheikh alias Omar Afghani
Belongs to Jaish-e-Mohammed
Fought with NATO forces in Afghanistan

9. Javed Matoo alias Faisal alias Shakib alias Musab
Belongs to Al-Badar
Divisional Commander of Al Badar in North Kashmir

10. Ezaz Ahmad Malik
Recently appointed as the District Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen in Kupwara

Source of information: Indiatvnews, Hindustan Times.