Army Anantnag Operation ends, body of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander recovered

In a significant development, a week-long joint anti-terrorism operation in the Garol forests of Anantnag district by Indian army and J&K police, has come to a close, as announced by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, during a press briefing on Tuesday.

However, despite the conclusion of the operation, efforts by army and police in the area will persist as the search continues. Kumar revealed that the body discovered on Monday has been officially identified as that of Uzair Khan, a high-ranking Lashkar-e-Taiba commander. Furthermore, another terrorist's remains have been sighted but remain unrecovered due to the challenging terrain. Kumar stressed the importance of ongoing efforts by army and police, noting the presence of hazardous blind shells in the area that must be safely disposed of.

“We had information of two-three terrorists. We will continue the search to look if there is a third terrorist,” he affirmed.

Kumar also issued a stern warning against going into the area due to the potential dangers posed by live grenades and unexploded shells.

Throughout the past four days, police officials had maintained silence over the operation, suspecting that two to three terrorists were trapped within the forested region.

The operation originally commenced last Wednesday when a group of terrorists targeted Indian Army Colonel Manpreet Singh, the commanding officer of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles, along with Army Major Ashish Dhonchak and Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Humayun Bhat, resulting in their tragic fatalities. On Monday, the body of another army soldier, Pradeep, who had initially gone missing during the initial encounter, was recovered.

Earlier reports had indicated the discovery of a charred body near one of the terrorist hideouts, as captured in drone footage. Security forces had extensively employed drones and helicopters to survey the densely forested area, which concealed several cave-like hideouts where the terrorists were believed to have been entrenched since the commencement of the operation.

Taking precautions to prevent the terrorists from infiltrating civilian areas, the security cordon was extended to the neighboring Posh Kreeri region on Sunday.

In a passionate statement during an evening event on Sunday, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha vowed to seek justice for the fallen security personnel and hold the terrorist handlers accountable. He expressed unwavering faith in the courage of the soldiers and conveyed the nation's unwavering support for them. High-ranking officials from the security apparatus in Kashmir, including the Director General of Police (DGP) and the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army's 15 Corps, have diligently overseen the entire operation.

Uzair Khan, the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist whose identity was confirmed, hailed from Nagam in Anantnag and had gone missing in July of the preceding year to join the militant ranks. His educational journey had come to an end after the twelfth grade, following which he pursued a course in electrical work. Prior to his involvement in militancy, Uzair Khan had been employed as an electrician in his village.

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