Pahalgam Horror Haunts J&K Again: Head Constable Shot Dead In Broad-Daylight Terror Attack In Anantnag; TRF Claims Responsibility

Anantnag: A head constable was shot dead on Wednesday afternoon after terrorists opened fire on a police party at Kotwal Gali in the Lal Chowk area of South Kashmir's Anantnag district on Wednesday afternoon.

The deceased officer has been identified as Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Quraishi (Belt No. 20) of the 3rd Battalion of the India Reserve (IR-3). Quraishi, a resident of Lalpora Berwa in Budgam district, was currently attached to the Outpost/Control Cell (OCAPS) in Anantnag.

Attack Details and Terror Claim

The assault occurred at around 12:35 p.m. when terrorists targeted police personnel deployed in the bustling Kotwal Gali market area. 

Head Constable Quraishi sustained critical gunshot injuries in the firing and succumbed to his wounds on the spot.

The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot and shadow outfit of the banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the targeted killing. 

TRF is the same terror outfit implicated in earlier attacks across the region, including the major attack in Pahalgam.

Cordon & Search Launched

Following the attack, a joint security force contingent comprising the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Indian Army, and paramilitary units swiftly cordoned off the entire Lal Chowk area to trap the assailants.

Security personnel have intensified vehicular checks and deployed additional troops across key transit corridors and choke points surrounding Anantnag town. 

Investigators are currently reviewing CCTV footage and gathering intelligence to determine the exact number of attackers and their escape route.

Security forces have launched a high-alert Search Operation (CASO) across Anantnag town, conducting intensive vehicular checks and reviewing surveillance footage to trace the perpetrators and block their escape routes.