Shopian – LeT Operative Killed During Ongoing Security Operation

Shopian –  Security forces have killed a suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operative during an anti-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district, police said on Wednesday. The search operation remained underway as personnel continued efforts to locate another militant believed to be inside the cordoned area.

Shopian security operation continues –

The deceased was identified by police as 26-year-old Zakir Ahmad Ganie, a resident of Motalhama village in neighbouring Kulgam district. A senior police officer described him as a self-styled commander associated with the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police said the militant was killed during a joint operation involving the Special Operations Group of Shopian, the Army’s Rashtriya Rifles and the Central Reserve Police Force. Police shared the update in a post on X, saying one Lashkar-e-Taiba militant had been neutralised.

Missing report filed in 2023

According to officials, Ganie had left his home on September 27, 2023, saying he was going to Dialgam for shuttering work. He did not return, and his family later lodged a missing person report at Kulgam police station on October 3 that year.

Investigators later alleged that he had joined The Resistance Front, which security agencies describe as an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Officials said his name subsequently appeared in a case registered under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Surveillance footage led to operation

The security operation began on July 3 after surveillance cameras reportedly captured the movement of two suspected militants in a densely wooded orchard in the Meemandar area of Shopian.

Following the reported sighting, a joint contingent of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Army’s 55 Rashtriya Rifles and 44 Rashtriya Rifles, and the CRPF moved into the area. Security personnel established a cordon around the orchard and surrounding locations to prevent those inside from leaving the area.

Officials said intermittent firing took place over the following days as forces tightened the search. The terrain and thick vegetation made the operation challenging, with the orchard offering several places where militants could potentially remain concealed.

Additional troops deployed around orchard

The Army’s Victor Force deployed extra personnel to cover possible escape routes around the orchard, officials said. The area was also illuminated during the operation to reduce the possibility of movement under the cover of darkness.

Security agencies have continued to conduct searches in the area, with teams checking nearby routes and sections of the orchard. The deployment was maintained as forces worked to ensure that no suspect could move out through the dense foliage.

Search continues for second militant

Officials said the second militant believed to be trapped in the area is suspected to be a man identified as Latif, who is believed to have joined the group last year. His identity and exact location had not been independently confirmed at the time of filing.

The operation was still in progress on Wednesday, and officials said further details would be shared after the search was completed. Authorities have not disclosed whether any weapons, ammunition or other material were recovered during the operation.