In a high-stakes encounter in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, three heavily armed militants linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed were killed by Indian forces after being tracked down through drone surveillance. The dramatic visuals, which surfaced Thursday, show the trio hiding inside an unfinished structure before being neutralised in a close-quarters gunfight.
This anti-terror action unfolded in the Nadir area of Tral, following a tip-off received by security agencies about militant movement. As forces closed in, the group opened fire, sparking an intense exchange that ended with all three suspects dead. The militants were identified as Asif Ahmed Sheikh, Amir Nazir Wani, and Yawar Ahmad Bhat, all residents of Pulwama and affiliated with the Pakistan-based JeM outfit.
The confrontation comes amid a spike in security operations across Jammu and Kashmir. Just two days prior, security forces carried out another successful encounter in Shopian, eliminating three Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives. Among them, Shahid Kuttay was known for his involvement in a resort shooting in April 2023, where German tourists were injured, and for the assassination of a BJP leader the following month. His home was recently demolished as part of a post-attack crackdown.
Adnan Shafi, Involved in Labourer’s Death, Killed in Encounter
Kuttay’s accomplice, Adnan Shafi, had joined Lashkar in 2024 and was accused of killing a migrant labourer in Wachi. Authorities believe these operations are part of a coordinated escalation by terror outfits following the devastating Pahalgam attack in April, which claimed 26 lives, mostly civilians.
Thursday’s gunfight marks the second major anti-terror operation in the valley since India and Pakistan agreed to halt military actions along the Line of Control. The fragile ceasefire, reached just five days earlier with mediation from the United States, came after a week of cross-border military retaliation.
That retaliation included India’s Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in direct response to the Pahalgam massacre. The mission reportedly struck nine terror bases across the border, four of them inside Pakistan proper, killing over 100 militants and destroying key Lashkar training facilities.
Violence Continues In Kashmir
Despite this diplomatic pause, violence has continued inside Kashmir. The Indian government remains firm in its policy, having already suspended select visas for Pakistani nationals and put discussions under the Indus Waters Treaty on hold. This agreement is critical for Pakistan’s agriculture, which depends heavily on waters from rivers governed by the treaty.
Drone footage of the latest Tral encounter has been widely circulated, capturing the final moments of the militants. One video shows a terrorist crouched with an assault rifle behind a pillar; another shows them grouped inside a dilapidated structure. These images underline the heightened surveillance and tactical precision now guiding India’s counterterror efforts.
Police officials say investigations are ongoing to determine whether the Tral trio had any direct connection to the Pahalgam attack. Inspector General of Police V.K. Birdi confirmed that all leads are being explored, especially given the men’s affiliation with JeM and their location within Pulwama.
With Kashmir on edge, intelligence-based operations are likely to continue, as the search intensifies for those behind recent attacks. India’s security forces remain in combat readiness, ensuring any breach is met with swift and decisive force.
