In a massive crackdown on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, security forces have launched what is being described as the largest anti-terror operation of the decade across Jammu and Kashmir. The coordinated action, spanning over 60 areas, targets more than 100 locations linked to militants and their local supporters believed to be operating under the influence of handlers in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
In today’s episode of DNA, Rahul Sinha, Managing Editor of Zee News, conducted a detailed analysis of this sweeping counter-terror campaign and its far-reaching implications for peace and security in the Valley.
The most extensive operations were carried out in Ganderbal district, where raids took place at 59 locations connected to 76 individuals suspected of terrorist links. Similar searches were conducted in Srinagar, Kulgam, Shopian, Budgam, and Kupwara. The Jammu and Kashmir Police, supported by national intelligence agencies, led these simultaneous raids. In several zones, Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) were launched to locate hidden terror operatives and weapons caches.
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Earlier, a similar exercise had been executed in the Rajouri district of Jammu. Officials said the broader objective was to disrupt the financial and logistical networks of militants who have long been directing propaganda and recruitment drives from PoK, pushing Kashmiri youth into extremism.
Among those targeted are Fayaz Ahmed Khan, a Hizbul Mujahideen operative facing multiple charges since 2021; Farooq Ahmed Rather, also from Ganderbal and currently based in PoK; Mohammad Yousuf Naim, a former Hurriyat affiliate who crossed into Pakistan for arms training; and Abid Ramzan Sheikh, a Shopian resident and commander of The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot.
Raids have also led to cases being filed against relatives and overground workers (OGWs) aiding these terrorists. Security personnel seized large quantities of terror-related literature and communication devices.
Search Operations Inside Prisons
The crackdown extended to Srinagar and Kupwara prisons, where the Counter-Intelligence Cell carried out surprise inspections to identify and dismantle terror communication networks. Officials reviewed the activities of inmates with extremist links and investigated how imprisoned militants were maintaining contact with handlers across the border.
The prisons’ past inmates include notorious figures such as Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar and stone-pelting mastermind Ashiq Hussain Fakhtoo, fuelling suspicions that jails had become operational hubs for militant coordination. The latest raids are aimed at permanently dismantling such internal networks.
Army Thwarts Infiltration At LoC
While operations continued in the Valley, the Indian Army achieved a significant success along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Keran sector of Kupwara, where two infiltrators were killed in an encounter. The search for other members of the group remains ongoing under Operation Pimple, a mission name that harks back to a landmark anti-terror campaign launched in November 2017.
The original Operation Pimple decimated the Hizbul Mujahideen command structure, neutralising top terrorists including Abdul Qayoom Nazar, Mufti Waqas, Sameer Tiger, and Saddam Padder. Since that offensive, Hizbul has struggled to rebuild its leadership in Kashmir.
With most top commanders eliminated, the focus has now shifted to overground supporters and sympathisers who facilitate terror logistics. The goal, according to officials, is to deliver a decisive blow to the remaining structures of militancy and restore the Valley’s identity as the “Paradise on Earth.”
New Developments: Doctor Arrested With AK-47
In a related development, police recovered an AK-47 rifle from a locker belonging to Dr Adil Ahmed, a physician from Anantnag, who was recently arrested in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Investigators are examining whether the weapon was used in any attack or meant for militant supply chains.
Dr Ahmed came under scrutiny after Jaish-e-Mohammed posters appeared across Srinagar on 28 October. CCTV footage allegedly showed him putting up the posters, leading to his arrest. His case has since taken a darker turn with the discovery of the assault rifle, revealing a disturbing link between the Valley’s terror network and operatives embedded in civilian professions.
The ongoing operations mark a significant escalation in India’s counter-terror efforts, a strategic attempt to dismantle not only active militant groups but also the deep-rooted support structures sustaining them across Jammu and Kashmir.
