On Tuesday, the Jammu and Kashmir police killed Junaid Ahmed Bhat, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist responsible for the recent civilian killings in Gagangir and Ganderbal in the Valley.

The Army and J&K Police are conducting a coordinated operation in Dachigam to continue the crackdown on the militants. "In the ongoing operation, one terrorist was killed and has been identified as Junaid Ahmed Bhat (LeT, Category A). The said terrorist was involved in civilian killings at Gagangir, Ganderbal and several other terror attacks. Operation continues in the upper reaches of Dachigam by J&K Police along with Joint Parties of RR and Security Forces," Kashmir Zone Police wrote on X.

Security forces have stepped up operations against terrorists after several recent attacks. On November 23, Baramulla Police, along with security forces, uncovered a terror hideout in the Kunzer area of Baramulla district. In October, suspected Pakistani terrorists carried out a major attack, killing six workers and a doctor. The incident occurred around 8:15 PM at a private company’s camp in Ganderbal district, where a tunnel construction project was underway. This was the deadliest targeted attack on construction workers in over 30 years of violence in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Among those killed were Dr Shahnawaz from Budgam in central Kashmir; Gurmeet Singh (30) from Gurdaspur in Punjab; Inder Yadav (35) from Bihar; Mohan Lal (30) and Jagtar Singh (30) from Kathua in Jammu; Fayaz Ahmad Lone (26) and Zahoor Ahmad Lone from Kashmir. Several people were injured in the fifth targeted attack in Kashmir this year, which was also the second since the new coalition government, led by CM Omar Abdullah, took office on October 16.

This attack had the highest number of fatalities in Kashmir this year, highlighting the troubling trend of terrorists targeting civilians. This follows the June 9 shooting at a pilgrim bus in the Reasi district of Jammu, where seven pilgrims, the driver, and the conductor were killed, and 41 others were injured.