Most-Wanted LeT Commander Zakir Ganie Killed in Shopian Encounter
The operation entered its fifth consecutive day, with authorities calling Ganie's killing a major blow to separatist militants
SRINAGAR: Security forces on Wednesday killed a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant believed to be Zakir Ganie, whom officials described as a most-wanted commander of the proscribed outfit, during an ongoing anti-terror operation in Saidapora in south Kashmir's Shopian district.
The operation entered its fifth consecutive day, with authorities calling Ganie's killing a major blow to separatist militants and saying that another militant remained trapped in the cordoned area. The development came on the tenth anniversary of the killing of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
Jammu and Kashmir Police confirmed the development in a post on X, saying, "You Can Run But You Can't Hide!" Police said one LeT terrorist was neutralised by its counter-insurgency Special Operations Group (SOG), Shopian, in a joint operation with the Army's Rashtriya Rifles and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Official sources said security personnel, while carrying out extensive searches in the cordoned area, heard gunfire from the encounter site and retaliated effectively, leading to a brief exchange of fire.
"After the firing stopped, the body of the slain terrorist, identified as Zakir Ganie, was recovered from the area," the sources said.
Earlier, officials had said that a body was found near the encounter site after the fresh exchange of fire, with arms and ammunition lying scattered nearby, and that efforts were underway to establish the identity of the slain militant.
Arms and ammunition were also recovered from the encounter site, officials said, adding that search and sanitisation operations were continuing to ensure that no other militants remained hidden in the area and that the site was fully secured.
The operation was launched on Saturday in the Saidapora-Chanapora area of Shopian following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in the area. Security forces have maintained a tight cordon around the locality since then, with searches continuing through dense terrain to eliminate any remaining threat.
Officials said further operational details, including the full inventory of recovered weapons and any additional updates, would be shared after the operation is formally concluded and the area is declared secure.
