Srinagar: In a serious blow to terrorism in the Kashmir Valley, Hizbul Mujahideen’s operational commander Saifullah Mir was killed and an associate arrested in an encounter with security forces in Srinagar district on Sunday from Rangreth area.
IG of JK Police Vijay Kumar said that the operation was based on specific inputs about presence of Hizbul terrorist Saifullah and his associate in a house in Rangreth area of Srinagar.
As the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation, they came under heavy fire from the hiding terrorists and retaliatory fire, Saifullah was gunned down.
Saifullah, also known as Dr Saifullah, had succeeded Riyaz Naikoo as Hizbul chief when Naikoo was killed by security forces in his native Beighpora village of Pulwama district on May 6 this year.
He was the last of the 10 most wanted local terrorists who had served as chief of homegrown terrorism in Kashmir.
Prior to joining terror ranks, Saifullah served for three months as health assistant in Sher-e-Kahmir Institute of Medical Sciences. This earned him the prefix ‘Dr’ by residents of his village.
The killing of Saifullah is definitely a big success for the security forces.
Asked by reporters as to how a most wanted terrorist commander like Saifullah could manage to come so close to Srinagar city from his south Kashmir operational base, IGP, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said: “Let us not waste time in asking how he came here. Let us celebrate his killing.”
The arrested associate of slain terrorist Saifullah is being grilled by the security forces, said an official.