Three terrorists have been neutralised by security forces in a fierce encounter during Operation Akhal in the Akhal forest area of Devsar locality in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district. The joint operation was carried out by the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Jammu and Kashmir Police based on credible intelligence inputs.
The encounter began on Friday evening when security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the dense forest following reports of terrorist movement. The operation escalated into a gunfight after terrorists opened fire on the troops. One of the slain terrorists has been identified as Haris Nazir, a resident of Pulwama and a Category-C militant affiliated with Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Officials stated that intermittent gunfire continued through the night, with a particularly intense firefight reported around 4 am on Saturday. The terrain and darkness delayed retrieval operations, but the area remains under a tight cordon. It is suspected that 2–3 foreign terrorists may still be hiding in the area, and the operation remains active with further search and engagement underway.
This encounter is part of a broader counter-terror crackdown dubbed Operation Mahadev, under which security forces earlier this week eliminated three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists involved in the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed in Parliament that one of the neutralised militants, Suleiman, was the mastermind behind that attack.
Recent days have seen a spike in counter-terror activity across Jammu and Kashmir. Security forces foiled an infiltration attempt in Poonch’s Kalsian-Gulpur area just days before the Kulgam encounter, killing two infiltrators trying to cross the Line of Control.
In a separate incident, Indian Army Agniveer Lalit Kumar died in a landmine explosion on July 25 while patrolling the Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch. While July has seen fewer incidents compared to the spring months, the number of encounters and militant casualties has risen from June.
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to rooting out terrorism in the region. Officials assure that the joint forces will continue their efforts to secure the area and ensure the safety of civilians as Operation Akhal continues in the Kulgam forests.
