Shopian, July 8 — A high-level counter-terror operation in south Kashmir’s Chanapora sector concluded with the elimination of prominent Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zakir Ganie. The tactical engagement, which involved multiple security wings, also resulted in the recovery of illicit weapons and ammunition from the encounter site.
The anti-terror grid went into active deployment on Saturday when the Special Operations Group of the Shopian Police, the Army’s 55 Rashtriya Rifles, and the CRPF established a tight perimeter around suspected hideouts. Tactical teams searching the cordoned zone located the body of the insurgent inside a cowshed, concluding the active phase of the gunfight.
Security analysts asserted that the removal of such a deeply entrenched commander will severely disrupt the operational capabilities and recruitment drives of the outfit in the district. Officials declared that the meticulous planning of the joint teams ensured the objective was met without any civilian casualties.
An official statement issued by the police department’s communications wing asserted that escape remains impossible for those attempting to bypass the regional security framework. Commanders on the ground maintained that the recovery of the hidden arsenal remains an equally vital part of the operation’s overall success.
A top police official stated that the operation stands as a major success for the collective security forces operating in Jammu and Kashmir. Area commanders affirmed that surveillance will remain heightened across Shopian while investigators finalize the standard legal formalities connected to the encounter.
