Hizbul's Sabzar Ahmad Bhat killed: How he became Burhan Wani's successor

From an average Kashmiri youth to dreaded militant, Bhat's short journey ended in bullets and blood

Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, the militant who succeeded Burhan Wani as Hizbul Mujahideen's commander in Kashmir, was slain by security forces on Saturday in an encounter in the Tral area of the state's Pulwama district. 

Another militant was also killed alongside Bhat in the encounter. 

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Tral's Soimoh village, which is situated 36 km from Srinagar, following information about the presence of some top Hizbul Mujahideen militants in the area, a police official said. 

How Sabzar took to terrorism

Bhat turned to militancy in April 2015 after the killing of Khalid Muzaffar, the