Riyaz Naikoo was one of Kashmir's most wanted terrorists and the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen.
The Congress on Wednesday lauded the security forces for killing Hizbul Mujahideen's commander Reyaz Naikoo, with Rahul Gandhi saying the murder of innocents by terrorists must never go unpunished.
"I congratulate our security forces for bringing the terrorist, Riyaz Naikoo, to justice. The killing of innocent people by terrorists must never go unpunished," he said on Twitter.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the party applauds the brave armymen and the entire armed forces who, despite the coronavirus pandemic, are taking on terrorists being pushed into India by the ISI and the Pakistani government.
He said the manner in which the terrorists are pushed into India by Pakistan and the ISI is known to everybody.
"But, the way this architecture of terror is being demolished by our armed forces makes every Indian proud of them," he said.
"We salute their valour and bravery in demolishing this terror network on a daily basis which is now proven from the killing of the terror Commander in Jammu and Kashmir when he attacked our armed forces. Our armed forces ensured that the terror network was demolished, so we applaud them and we salute their valour," Mr Surjewala said.
Hizbul Mujahideen's de facto chief and one of Kashmir's most wanted terrorists Reyaz Naikoo was on Wednesday killed by security forces in his village in Pulwama district, prompting authorities to suspend mobile phones and mobile internet across the Valley. The 35-year-old maths teacher-turned-terrorist, with a Rs 12 lakh bounty on his head, had successfully escaped the dragnet for eight years. But he was shot dead after a five-hour gunbattle in restive Pulwama's Beighbpora village, about 40 km from Srinagar, the police said.