CCTV Captures Armed LeT Terrorists In Shopian Orchard As Massive Counter Terror Operation Enters Day-2

Srinagar: A massive anti-terror operation in South Kashmir’s Shopian district entered its second day on Sunday after high-definition CCTV footage captured two heavily armed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists navigating through a dense apple orchard.

The joint Cordon and Search Operation (CASO), launched by the Indian Army’s specialised counter-insurgency unit (the Victor Force), the Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), has established a multi-layered security grid around the Meemandar area of Shopian.

The CCTVs Spotting & Identification

The breakthrough occurred late Friday evening when automated surveillance cameras, strategically installed along the periphery of the orchard belt, flagged suspicious movement.

The clear visual footage showed two individuals carrying assault weapons sneaking through the foliage. 

Security agencies quickly identified the cornered operatives as Zakir Ahmad Ganai and Latif Bhat, both local recruits hailing from the neighbouring Kulgam district.

Latif and Zakir have been identified as the terrorists who are trapped. Officials claim that the two started shooting at approaching Army personnel, who successfully reacted, starting a battle.

According to officials, in addition to lighting up the area, the Army's specialised counter-insurgency force, the Victor Force, has sent more troops to block potential escape routes through the orchard's dense vegetation.

The thick foliage in orchards provides natural cover throughout the summer, which helps stranded terrorists use blind areas and try to breach security cordons, according to security officials.

Terrorists connected to LeT

Both of the imprisoned terrorists are from the Kulgam district in south Kashmir, according to security data. Latif joined the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) this year, although Zakir is said to have been a member since 2024.

Shopian has long been an important transit route linking the Pir Panjal mountain and central Kashmir with south Kashmir.

Containing local operatives like Latif and Zakir is still essential to disrupting the logistics networks and ending the cycle of local recruiting, according to officials, even though the use of foreign terrorists in attacks has increased.

In the meantime, 23 people connected to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), The Resistance Front (TRF), and Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) were declared terrorists by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Six of the 23 terrorists are Indian citizens, and 17 are from Pakistan. All of them, however, currently conduct terrorist operations from Pakistan and Jammu & Kashmir, which is under Pakistani occupation. 

Eighty people have been classified as "terrorists" under Section 35 of the Act and added to the Fourth Schedule of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 as a result of the Central government's recent action.

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