Doval Conducts Intelligence Meet, Lauds Forces For Riyaz Naikoo Op

Riyaz Naikoo was killed after a massive operation was launched by the security forces to trap him in Pulwama.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Image used for representational purpose.

(Photo: PTI)

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Saturday, 9 May, conducted a meeting to review the operational strategies of security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. Doval, in the five-hour-long meeting, appreciated the forces on the successful operation against Kashmir’s Hizbul Mujahideen Chief Riyaz Naikoo, Hindustan Times reported.

“In that praise, Doval also slipped in a message: The importance of developing actionable human intelligence and operational synergy among forces fronting the counter-terror operations,” the report added.

While describing one of the people who had access to Naikoo, J&K police Chief Dilbagh Singh told HT that he played a role in building the secret bunker in Pulwama, Naikoo’s native home.

Top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Naikoo was killed on Wednesday, after a massive operation was launched by the security forces to trap him in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama, officials had said.

In the course of the meeting, the intelligence agencies expressed their concern over increase in the number of activities of Pakistani Air Force, that began after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s tweet, DNA reported.

He had accused India of finding a “pretext for a false flag operation targeting Pakistan.”

Speaking to HT, a senior government official who was present at the meeting said that “Pakistan’s determination to have a stab at pushing terror this year coincided with his simultaneous effort to try to internationalise developments in Kashmir.”

Further, the national security adviser told the security forces to make sure that terrorists from Pakistan don’t “slip past” them along the Line of Control. The forces including army and border security force listed out their strategies on reducing the chances of terrorists slipping in.

“NSA Ajit Doval underscored that the blueprint put on the table at the meeting would require absolute synergy between different security forces. There cannot be a mismatch, he told them,” the HT report added.

He had received reports about problems in coordination among ground commanders from different forces.

Doval also asked to tighten the counter-infiltration grid at LOC amid reports mentioning that Pakistan has activated launch pads.

Over 150 terrorists trained by Pakistan have reached launch pads in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) to infiltrate India, The Quint had earlier learned. J&K DGP Singh had said that, “Over 150 Pakistani terrorists are ready on launch pads across the border for infiltration into India.”

(With inputs from Hindustan Times, DNA)