After the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, intelligence agencies released a list of 14 local terrorists who are currently active in the Union Territory. On Tuesday (May 13), security forces neutralised three of them in an encounter in Shopian district. With 11 terrorists still on the list, an intensive manhunt is underway to bring them to justice.
According to news agency ANI sources, these individuals, aged between 20 to 40 years, are actively aiding foreign terrorists from Pakistan by providing logistical and ground-level support. The identified operatives are reportedly affiliated with three major Pakistan-backed terror outfits: Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Among them, three are associated with Hizbul Mujahideen, five with LeT, and three with JeM.
Three terrorists were killed in Operation Keller
Those killed in an encounter with security forces in Shukroo Keller area of south Kashmir's Shopian district on Tuesday were:
Shahid Kuttay: Top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Shahid Kuttay was among the three killed in Shopian. Kuttay, a resident of Chotipora Heerpora area of Shopian, who had joined the terror ranks in March 2023, was a category "A" terrorist and a top commander of the outfit. He was involved in the firing incident at Danish Resort on April 08, 2024, in which two German tourists and one driver were injured. He was involved in the killing of BJP Sarpanch at Heerpora, Shopian on May 18, 2024. The 26-year-old is also suspected of being involved in the killing of TA Personnel at Behibagh, Kulgam on February 3, 2025.
Adnan Shafi Dar: The second terrorist was identified as Adnan Shafi Dar, a resident of Wanduna Melhora, Shopian. He joined the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba in October 2024 and was a category "C" terrorist. The 21-year-old was involved in the killing of a non-local laborer in Wachi, Shopian.
Ahsan Ahmed Sheikh: Ahsan Ahmed Sheikh was active in Pulwama as a LeT terrorist and was involved in terrorist activities continuously since 2023.
Check full list of 11 active terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir
- Adil Rehman Dentoo (21): Adil Rehman Dentoo joined LeT in 2021 and is actively working as the Sopore district commander of the banned outfit.
- Asif Ahmed Sheikh (28): Asif Ahmed Sheikh, a terrorist of JeM, is the district commander of Awantipora and has been continuously involved in terrorist activities since 2022.
- Zubair Ahmed Wani (39): Zubair Ahmed Wani alias Abu Ubaida alias Usman, is the Chief Operational Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. He is categorized as an A+ active terrorist and significantly aids other terrorists and has been implicated multiple times in attacks on security forces since 2018.
- Haris Nazir (20): Haris Nazir is terrorist from Pulwama and active in LeT since 2023.
- Naseer Ahmed Wani (21): Naseer Ahmed Wani is also actively involved in terrorist activities in Shopian since 2019 as an active member of LeT significantly aiding Pakistani terrorists.
- Aamir Ahmed Dar: Aamir Ahmed Dar, also active in Shopian since 2023, is working with LeT and play a major role as an aide to foreign terrorists.
- Asif Ahmed Khanday (24): Asif Ahmed Khanday is terrorist from Shopian district in Jammu and Kashmir and he joined Hizbul Mujahideen in July 2015, and is currently an active member of the terror group aiding Pakistani terrorists.
- Aamir Nazir Wani (20): Aamir Nazir Wani is also an active terrorist in Pulwama linked to JeM since 2024. Yawar Ahmed Bhat is also completely active in Pulwama and is associated with JeM since 2024.
- Yawar Ahmed Bhat: Yawar Ahmed Bhat is also completely active in Pulwama and is associated with JeM since 2024.
- Haroon Rashid Ganai (32): Haroon Rashid Ganai, an active Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist also from Anantnag, is on the search radar of security forces. He had earlier traveled to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) where he received training during 2018. He reportedly came back to South Kashmir recently.
- Zakir Ahmed Ganie (29): Zubair Ahmed Ganie, a major terrorist from Kulgam district in Jammu and Kashmir, is associated with LeT and continuously involved in attacks on security forces and targeted killings.
(With ANI inputs)
Also Read: Operation Keller: Three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists killed in encounter in J-K's Shopian
Also Read: What is 'Operation Keller' launched by Indian Army in J-K after the success of Operation Sindoor?
