J-K: Top Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist gunned down by security forces

The Indian Army on Tuesday gunned down Lashkar e- Islam Chief Abdul Qayoom Najar in an encounter near Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri sector.

Lashkar e- Islam Chief was trying to infiltrate from Lachipora in Uri when he was gunned down. He also carries a reward of Rs 10, 00,000 on his head.

Soon after the incident, Baramulla Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Imtiyaz Hussain told reporters, "Najar was killed as security forces foiled an infiltration bid in Lachipora area near the LoC this morning. He was returning to Kashmir to take over the command of Hizbul Mujahideen in the wake of elimination of top commanders of the outfit by security forces".

Najar started his career as a terrorist with the killing of Hizb commander Abdul Majid Dar in 2003.

Najar was wanted by the Army for planning and executing a series of attacks on mobile towers and telecom offices across the Kashmir Valley, carried out in the year 2015.

Lashkar e- Islam Chief was a rebel commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, who later formed the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Islam. He was on the radar after attacks on mobile towers and killing of six civilians in Spore and adjoining areas in North Kashmir.

Najar joined terror ranks at the age of 16. He used to change his appearances to escape security agencies. 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, 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 Hizb.