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Riyaz Naikoo likely to be new Hizb commander in valley

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 5/29/2017 1:56:59 PM

Srinagar

A day after the killing of Commander Sabzar Bhat, police sources on Monday said that tech-savvy Riyaz Ahmad Naikoo may replace Sabzar as the new commander in Kashmir, Times of India reported on Monday.
Top police sources said that Naikoo is the one of the oldest surviving militants and could be new commander after Sabzar. They said that the Hizbul Mujahideen could prefer Naikoo over the two other oldest surviving militants — Altaf Kachroo and Saddam Padder — as the outfit may bank on him to use the social networking sites to galvanise support for militancy in Kashmir, reports added on Monday.

According to sources, Naikoo is a top rated militant and Hizbul Mujahideen could be banking on him as he has remained active for over three years and had even completed his higher studies. Naikoo, who is from Durbug, Awantipora, has been giving the forces a tough time and they have been looking for him for a long time.

Hizbul Mujahihdeen could prefer Naikoo over both Altaf Kachroo, a resident of Kulgam and Saddam Padder of Heff, Shopian, as he was much literate than both of them. “Out of the 20 militants, Naikoo is one of the oldest surviving militants,” Police officials said. Naikoo had featured in many of the photos and videos along with Commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani.