HM’s longest surviving militant falls to bullets

Srinagar, Sep 26: In a major setback to militant outfits and an achievement for security forces, Kashmir’s longest surviving and most wanted militant was today gunned down by security forces in a joint anti-insurgency operation near Zorawar Post of Lachipora Uri on Line of Control (LoC) in Baramulla district.
According to police sources, one of the most wanted top Hizbul Mujahideen militant Abdul Qayoom Najar was killed in a fierce gun battle with security forces near the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector.
“He was trying to sneak into the Valley to take charge of the outfit, sources said, adding, “Najar was wanted for his alleged involvement in more than 50 killings in the past 17 years.”
Police said that Qayoom Najar alias Jasahib, who was an active militant since year 1999 was killed in this encounter.
Meanwhile Director General of Police (DGP) Dr Sesh Paul Vaid told The News Now that the killing of Najar is a “major achievement” for security forces.
“He was involved in dozens of killings of policemen and civilians. He had gone across (to Pakistan),” said top police brass Dr Vaid while talking to this correspondent. DGP Dr Vaid said Najar's killing as a very significant achievement for Police and security forces. “He was now returning to revive militancy in Kashmir but security forces killed in during an encounter in Uri on LoC,” Vaid said.
According to police, the 43-year-old Najar had exfilitrated to Pak in 2015 and was returning back to take command of Hizbul Mujahideen.
“The killed HM commander was dispatched by United Jehad Council Commander Syed Salah-u-din to revive the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen whose commanders of North Kashmir Pervaiz Wani @ Mubashir of South Kashmir and Yasin Yatoo got killed recently,” a police spokesman said in a statement.
Police said his return was also necessitated because of recent total wiping out of HM from North Kashmir.
“A resident of Mumkak, Sopore, Najar joined militancy at the age of 16 and was arrested in 1992 and later released but he was recycled into the militancy, a police officer told The News Now while sharing details about the killed HM Commander.
“The killed militant was involved in dozens of killings of civilians, Police and Security forces,” the police said, adding, he was ‘baptized’ in militancy after killing of then HM Chief Commander Abdul Majid Dar who had entered into dialogue process with Government of India in year 2000.
Najar was affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen till 2015 but he broke away from HM when he orchestrated multiple attacks on mobile towers and killing of some civilians affiliated with Hurriyat. He was recalled to base camp in Muzaffarabad, PoK to sort out the differences.
Pertinently till 2015, very few knew about Najar but he gained limelight after he formed his own Lashkar-e-Islam which carried out series of attacks on mobile towers and killed several former militants and Hurriyat activists for their alleged links with security forces in Baramulla.
“He was also involved in number of IED blasts carried out by HM in North Kashmir in Sopore, Pattan, Handwara and Baramulla,” police said.
“He was now returning to revive militancy in Kashmir but alert security forces killed in during an encounter in Uri on LoC,” police added.