In a major success for India’s security forces, top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Zakir Ahmad Ganai was killed during a joint anti-terror operation in the Chanapora area of Shopian district, Jammu & Kashmir.
The operation was carried out jointly by the Jammu & Kashmir Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG), the Indian Army’s Rashtriya Rifles (RR), and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
According to officials, Zakir Ganai was classified as a Category A/A++ terrorist and had been on the radar of security agencies for several terror-related activities in south Kashmir.
He and another militant had been evading security forces for nearly five days after being spotted on CCTV footage in the area, prompting an extensive cordon-and-search operation.
During the operation, security personnel surrounded the hideout and engaged in an exchange of fire. Ganai was killed in the encounter, and arms and ammunition were recovered from the site. Officials believe another militant may have been hiding in the area, so search operations continued even after Ganai was neutralized.
The Jammu & Kashmir Police confirmed the operation on social media with the message, “You can run, but you can’t hide,” calling the operation a significant blow to the Pakistan-backed terror outfit.
Officials said Ganai’s elimination is expected to weaken Lashkar-e-Taiba’s network in south Kashmir and marks one of the most important counter-terrorism successes in the Valley in recent months.