Terrorist Neutralized in Fierce Kulgam Encounter

A terrorist was killed in an intense encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Saturday, marking the third such operation in the region this week. The clash, part of Operation Akhal, unfolded in the dense Akhal forest area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, following specific intelligence about terrorist presence, officials confirmed. The operation, involving the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps, Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG), and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), began Friday evening and continued into Saturday with intermittent firefights.

Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation on Friday after credible inputs pinpointed terrorists hiding in the forested terrain. “As troops approached, the terrorists opened fire, triggering an encounter,” a police spokesperson said. The operation was paused overnight due to darkness, with the cordon strengthened and reinforcements deployed. On Saturday morning, renewed firing led to one terrorist being neutralized. “Alert troops responded with calibrated fire and tightened the noose while maintaining contact,” the Chinar Corps stated on X, adding that the operation remains ongoing.

The identity and group affiliation of the slain terrorist are yet to be confirmed, with officials working to ascertain whether the individual was linked to groups like The Resistance Front (TRF) or Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), both active in the region. The encounter follows a deadly April 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Anantnag, where 26 civilians, mostly tourists, were killed, prompting heightened anti-terror operations across Jammu and Kashmir. Three terrorists involved in that attack were neutralized earlier this week in Srinagar’s Harwan area under Operation Mahadev, indicating a sustained crackdown.

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Kulgam, a known hotspot for militant activity, has seen multiple encounters this year. In December 2024, five terrorists were killed in Kadder, Kulgam, while September 2024 saw two terrorists neutralized in Adigam Devsar, though four soldiers and a police officer were injured. The latest operation underscores the security forces’ intensified efforts to curb militancy, especially after the Pahalgam attack, which was linked to Pakistan-based TRF and LeT.

Local residents have been advised to avoid the Akhal area as drones and surveillance tools assist the ongoing search for additional terrorists. The operation’s timing, amid rising regional tensions and Pakistan’s alleged support for militancy, highlights the challenges of maintaining security in Jammu and Kashmir. Critics of the establishment narrative question whether intelligence failures, as seen before the Pahalgam attack, could have been avoided, though officials insist operations are intelligence-driven. As Operation Akhal progresses, security forces remain on high alert to prevent further infiltration or attacks in this volatile region.

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