Shopian, Jammu & Kashmir – May 29, 2025:
Security forces arrested two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants in a joint operation in the Baskuchan area of Imamsahib in south Kashmir’s Shopian district. The operation was carried out by the Indian Army’s 44 Rashtriya Rifles, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the 178 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The two militants, identified as Irfan Bashir and Uzair Salam, surrendered after being cornered in an orchard, averting what could have escalated into an armed confrontation. According to a statement by the police, both individuals were classified as “hybrid terrorists,” a term used for overground workers who carry out attacks and blend back into civilian life.
Security personnel recovered two AK-56 rifles, four magazines, two hand grenades, ammunition, an Aadhaar card, and ₹5,400 in cash during the operation.
Describing the incident as a “major operational success,” officials said the search and cordon operation was launched based on specific intelligence inputs. The surrender of the two militants marks a significant breakthrough in the ongoing counter-terror drive in the region.
This operation comes in the wake of heightened security measures following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran valley, which left 26 people dead. Since then, anti-militancy operations have intensified across south Kashmir.
Earlier this month, six militants were killed in two separate encounters—three each in Shopian’s Keller area and Tral’s Nadar region in Pulwama district.
