Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir kill a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist during a five-day anti-terror operation in Shopian district, police say. The operation begins on July 3 when forces launch a search in the Meemandar area, described as a dense orchard spanning seven villages. A joint team comprising the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Army’s 55 and 44 Rashtriya Rifles units, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) maintains a tight cordon around the area while intermittent firing takes place between the two sides. Police say surveillance identifies two terrorists, leading to the prolonged cordon in difficult terrain where thick foliage limits visibility and creates cover for the militants.
The police statement posted on X says “You can run but you can’t hide” and reports that one LeT terrorist is neutralised in the joint operation. Officials earlier identify the trapped terrorists as Latif and Zakir. One outlet further identifies the killed person as Zakir Ahmad Ganie, a 26-year-old from Motalhama in neighbouring Kulgam district, described as a self-styled commander, with previous police records linking him to Lashkar-e-Taiba’s offshoot The Resistance Front (TRF).