Dreaded terrorist Najar was returning to Kashmir to revive Hizbul Mujahideen

The police had announced a reward of rupees 10 lakhs for information leading to the arrest of Najar.

In a major operation, Abdul Qayoom Najar, the longest surviving Hizbul Mujahideen commander and most dreaded terrorist of the Valley was shot dead by the Indian Army in an encounter at Uri near the Line of Control.

Najar, 43 had broken away from the Hizbul Mujahideen, but over the past few months had brokered peace with the outfit's head Syed Salahuddin. Sources say that he was returning to Kashmir in a bid to revive the Hizbul Mujahideen.

He was sent to India on the instructions of Salahuddin who is also the chief of the United Jihad Council. Najar had exfiltrated into Pakistan in 2015. He was accused of killing several security personnel and was also wanted for the bombing of mobile towers in the Valley.

Najar carried a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head and was classified as a Grade A++ terrorist.

He had broken away from the Hizbul Mujahideen and formed the Lashkar-e-Islam. Najar was expelled by Hizbul chief Syed Salahuddin blaming him in playing a key role in murdering innocent persons and indulging in character assassination of Hurriyat leaders and attacks on the telecommunication set-up in the Valley.

For years Najar, one of the most wanted militants of North Kashmir had kept the police and the army on toes. Najar came to the limelight after the attacks on mobile towers and killings of six civilians in Sopore and its adjacent villages. Though the Hizbul Mujahideen had been blaming the Indian agencies for these attacks, police officials were convinced that these killings and attacks are the handiwork of Najar and his associate Imtiyaz Kundoo.

The police had announced a reward of rupees 10 lakhs for information leading to the arrest of Najar. Najar, the longest surviving militant, was one of the top commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen. A resident of Sopore town, he joined militancy barely at an age of 16.

He was arrested in 1992 and later released. After his release, Najar recycled into the militancy in 1995. Though for many years, Najar was a militant, but he always aspired to become a top commander after killing and arrest of top Hizbul commanders, Najar was the senior most active commander and thus the de-facto operational chief of Hizbul Mujahideen.

OneIndia News