Most-Wanted LeT Commander Zakir Ganie Killed in Shopian Encounter

Security forces on Wednesday killed a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant believed to be Zakir Ganie, whom officials described as a most-wanted commander of the proscribed outfit, during an ongoing anti-terror operation in Saidapora in south Kashmir's Shopian district. 

The operation entered its fifth consecutive day, with authorities calling Ganie's killing a major blow to separatist militants and saying that another militant remained trapped in the cordoned area. 

The development came on the tenth anniversary of the killing of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

Jammu and Kashmir Police



confirmed the development in a post on X, saying, "You Can Run But You Can't Hide!" Police said one LeT terrorist was neutralised by its counter-insurgency Special Operations Group (SOG), Shopian, in a joint operation with the Army's Rashtriya Rifles and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Official sources said security personnel, while carrying out extensive searches in the cordoned area, heard gunfire from the encounter site and retaliated effectively, leading to a brief exchange of fire.

"After the firing stopped, the body of the slain terrorist, identified as Zakir Ganie, was recovered from the area," the sources said.