In a significant counter-terrorism success for security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, three terrorists affiliated with the Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were neutralised in an early morning encounter in the Shukroo forest area of Keller, Shopian district, on Tuesday. Sources have confirmed the identities of two of the three slain terrorists, both of whom were involved in multiple high-profile terror attacks across the region in recent months.
According to official sources, one of the killed terrorists has been identified as Shahid Kuttay, son of Mohd Yousuf Kuttay and a resident of Chotipora Heerpora in Shopian. A Category A LeT operative, Kuttay was responsible for several major terror incidents. He was involved in the April 8, 2024 attack on the Danish Resort in Srinagar, where two German tourists and their driver were injured in a targeted firing incident. Having joined LeT on March 8, 2023, Kuttay quickly rose through the ranks and was also behind the killing of a BJP Sarpanch in Heerpora on May 18, 2024. Additionally, he was suspected to have played a key role in the killing of a Territorial Army personnel at Behibagh in Kulgam on February 3, 2025.
The second slain terrorist has been identified as Adnan Shafi Dar, son of Mohd Shafi Dar, and a resident of Wanduna Melhora in Shopian. A Category C LeT operative, Dar joined the terror outfit on October 18, 2024. He was actively involved in the targeted killing of non-local labourers in Wachi, Shopian, the same day he joined the group — a tactic increasingly adopted by terror outfits to instill fear and disrupt peace in the Valley.
The identity of the third terrorist killed in the encounter is yet to be officially confirmed.
The encounter began around 8:00 am after security forces received specific intelligence inputs about terrorist movement in the dense Shukroo forest. A massive cordon-and-search operation was launched, which eventually led to a fierce gunfight and the elimination of the three LeT operatives.
Meanwhile, in a related development, posters announcing a Rs 20 lakh reward for information leading to the capture or elimination of the terrorists involved in the recent Pahalgam terror attack were seen across several areas in Pulwama district.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police recently released sketches and details of three Lashkar terrorists believed to be behind the Pahalgam attack. They have been identified as Hussain Thoker, a native of Anantnag, and two suspected Pakistani nationals — Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai and Hasim Musa alias Suleiman. Each carries a bounty of Rs 20 lakh, and efforts are underway to track them down.
This Shopian operation comes in the wake of India’s recent success in Operation Sindoor, a series of precision strikes that eliminated nearly 100 terror operatives at various launchpads and camps in Pakistan, including key targets in Bhawalpur (Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters) and Muridke (a major Lashkar training base).
Security agencies view today’s encounter as a major blow to Lashkar’s operational capabilities in South Kashmir, particularly in the Shopian-Kulgam belt, which has seen increased terror activity over the past year.
