'Major Success': J&K Police after top Hizbul Mujahideen commander neutralised in Srinagar

A Hizbul Mujahideen commander was neutralised in an encounter by security forces in Srinagar on Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said. According to the police, Saifullah, who had taken command of the outfit after the killing of Riyaz Naikoo in May this year, was one of the most wanted terrorists in J&K and was involved in several attacks on the security forces.

'This is not a small achievement'

"Dr Saifullah who was the number one commander of Hizbul Mujahideen has been killed in the encounter. It was a very successful operation," Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbag Singh told news agency ANI. "This is a huge success for the police and security forces. This is not a small achievement," senior police officer Vijay Kumar told reporters at the encounter site.

"So the security forces cordoned off the area and an operation was launched. In the exchange of firing, one militant was killed. According to our source, we are 95% sure he is Dr Saifullah. We are retrieving the body and it will be identified," he added.

Meanwhile, DGP Singh said that over 200 terrorists so far have been eliminated in Jammu and Kashmir this year. "He (Dr Saifullah) has killed several innocent people including three policemen. He was involved in an attack on sarpanch recently. He is also connected with organizations which are behind the killing of BJP workers. There are over 12 cases against him. His movement was being tracked for two days," he said.

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The DGP said the allegations that the bodies of terrorists killed in encounters in the valley were not handed over to their families were not true.

"The bodies are being properly buried in the presence of their families and the magistrates concerned, and the whole process is photographed and video-graphed and this process will continue for some more time because of the COVID-19," the DGP added.

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(With agency inputs)