Riyaz Naikoo's hideout input could have come from TRF terrorists: Intelligence Sources

Amid an ongoing turf war between terrorist groups in Kashmir valley, intelligence sources are suggesting that the input to the security forces came from Hizbul Mujahidden's rival The Resistance Front.

"Naikoo had been active in Kashmir for more than eight years and had managed to keep himself hidden for long from the forces. This time, the intelligence about his hideout and visit to his village can be sourced to the TRF," intelligence sources said.

TRF is a new front of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Pakistani backer terrorist groups as Pakistan wants to create a perception that these groups are from within Kashmir and it has no links with it, they said.

Sources said the TRF includes mainly all foreign terrorists who were operating in LeT and Jaish for all these years.

Sources said in the recent past also, there have been instances where the rival terror groups have tipped the security forces about each others terrorists' hideouts to police.

Naikoo has been on the search list of the security forces for a long time in the Kashmir valley but had so far managed to give a slip to them, they said.

Hizbul Mujahideen commander Reyaz Naikoo, was killed in a joint operation by the Indian Army, CRPF and the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday in his village in Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Naikoo carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head and escaped the police thrice. On some of the occasions, he had been supported by people pelting stones at security forces.
Security forces had zeroed in on Naikoo's hideout and had started the cordon trying to plug all the escape routes to prevent him from running away.

ANI

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