In a major breakthrough for security forces, two of the three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists killed in Tuesday’s Shopian encounter have been identified and linked to previous high-profile terror attacks in the region.
The encounter took place in the Shukroo forest area of Keller in South Kashmir’s Shopian district, following a massive cordon-and-search operation launched based on specific intelligence inputs. The operation began around 8:00 a.m., when the terrorists opened fire on the joint team of police and army personnel, triggering a fierce gun battle that led to the elimination of all three militants.
One of the slain terrorists has been identified as Shahid Kuttay, a Category A LeT operative from Chotipora Heerpora, Shopian. Shahid was involved in multiple acts of terror:
- The April 8, 2024 firing at the Danish Resort in Srinagar, which left two German tourists and one driver injured.
- The May 18, 2024 killing of a BJP sarpanch in Heerpora.
- He is also a suspect in the February 3, 2025 killing of a Territorial Army personnel in Behibagh, Kulgam.
The second terrorist was identified as Adnan Shafi Dar, a Category C LeT operative from Wanduna Melhora, Shopian. He had joined the outfit on October 18, 2024, and was involved in the killing of non-local labourers in Wachi, Shopian on the same day.
The identity of the third terrorist is yet to be officially confirmed.
Meanwhile, in a related development, posters have appeared in Pulwama district announcing a ₹20 lakh reward for information on the terrorists responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 tourists were killed.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police had earlier released sketches and identities of three LeT operatives linked to the Pahalgam attack:
- Hussain Thoker from Anantnag
- Ali Bhai aka Talha Bhai (suspected Pakistani national)
- Hasim Musa aka Suleiman (also suspected Pakistani)
Each has a ₹20 lakh bounty on their head.
This encounter comes shortly after India’s successful execution of Operation Sindoor, where precision air, land, and sea strikes neutralized nearly 100 terrorists and dismantled key terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including Jaish headquarters in Bahawalpur and LeT’s training base in Muridke.
The latest operation in Shopian underscores India’s continued offensive against terrorism and the pursuit of justice for the victims of recent attacks.
