Joint operation of Army, Police and CRPF is going on in Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir. Two local terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba are being surrounded and an encounter is being conducted.
Jammu and Kashmir Terrorism: The Indian Army is carrying out a large-scale anti-terrorism operation against two terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir. According to sources, both the terrorists were seen in a camera installed in a garden. After this, the security forces started the operation on Friday.
Joint action of Army, Police and CRPF
There are total seven villages in this area of Shopian. A joint team of Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) cordoned off the entire area and started a search operation. During the operation, four villages were evacuated by evening as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of civilians and prevent any hindrance in the operation.
Terrorists identified as Latif and Zakir
According to sources, the two surrounded terrorists have been identified as Latif Bhatt and Zakir Ghani. When the security forces reached the area, both of them started firing. After this the soldiers retaliated, leading to an encounter between the two sides. Officials say that all possible routes from the garden where the terrorists are hiding have been completely closed by the security forces, so that they cannot escape.
Both the terrorists are residents of Kulgam.
As per records, both Latif and Zakir are residents of Kulgam district. According to initial information, Zakir joined Lashkar-e-Taiba in the year 2024, while Latif supported this terrorist organization in 2025.
Why is Shopian an important area for terrorists?
Shopian has long been considered an important transit corridor connecting South Kashmir with Central Kashmir and the Pir Panjal mountain range. During the summer season, the dense greenery and gardens here provide natural cover to the terrorists. Taking advantage of this, they often try to avoid cordon and search operations.
Why is it necessary to take action against local terrorists?
Officials say the use of foreign terrorists who receive training and support from Pakistan to carry out attacks has increased in recent years. Despite this, action against local terrorists like Latif and Zakir is considered very important. They believe that capturing or neutralizing such local operatives is a necessary step to weaken the logistics network of terrorists and stop the process of local recruitment.