Hardeep Jamwal, JNM Journalist, Jammu
Security agencies have timely thwarted a major terror plot amidst the ongoing Shri Amarnath Yatra. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) top commander Zakir Ahmed Ganai was killed during a joint counter-terrorism operation spanning five days in the Chhanpora and Mimander areas of Shopian, based on precise intelligence inputs from the Jammu and Kashmir Police. Security agencies believe the terrorist was involved in a conspiracy to target the Amarnath Yatra. A massive search operation is currently underway to locate his associate, a terrorist named Latif.
Commenting on the operation’s success, the Jammu and Kashmir Police wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “You can run, but you cannot hide.” The police stated that this action was the result of excellent coordination among various security agencies, precise intelligence, and the effective use of modern technology.
Following specific intelligence inputs, the Special Operations Group (SOG), the Army’s 44, 55, 20, and 34 Rashtriya Rifles, and the CRPF launched a joint search operation on July 3 across the dense apple orchards spanning seven villages in Mimander and Chhanpora. The entire area was cordoned off after the movements of two suspected terrorists were spotted on surveillance cameras.
The dense orchards and trees provided natural cover for the terrorists. In response, the Army’s Victor Force deployed additional troops and maintained strict surveillance on all potential escape routes using modern, high-intensity lights. After an intermittent gunbattle lasting five days, security forces killed Zakir Ahmed Ganai on Wednesday. Weapons, ammunition, and other military-grade materials were also recovered from the site. Left home for work, then became a Lashkar commander
Zakir Ahmed Ganai, a 26-year-old resident of Motalhama village in Kulgam, had studied up to the eighth grade and worked in shuttering (construction formwork). He left home for work on September 27, 2023, but never returned. Following a complaint by his family, a missing person report was registered at the Kulgam police station on October 3, 2023. Subsequent investigations revealed that he had joined a terrorist organization through ‘The Resistance Front’ (TRF), a front organization for Lashkar. According to investigative agencies, he was recruited into the outfit by terrorists Basit Dar and Arbaz Ahmed Mir. A case under the UAPA had also been registered against him.
Major success for Amarnath Yatra security
According to security officials, Shopian is a highly sensitive area connecting South Kashmir with Central Kashmir and the Pir Panjal region. Consequently, the killing of a top Lashkar commander here is considered a major success for security agencies, especially in view of the security arrangements for the Shri Amarnath Yatra.
Given the sensitivity of the operation, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat visited Shopian to review security arrangements with senior officials from the Army, CRPF, and police. Intelligence agencies suggest that Zakir’s associate, the terrorist Latif, may still be hiding in the area. Security forces have intensified the cordon and search operation to apprehend or neutralize him.
