‘You Can Run But Can’t Hide’: LeT Terrorist Neutralised in Budgam Encounter Identified as Pakistani National ‘Yasir’
Joint security forces eliminate foreign Lashkar-e-Taiba operative in dense forest ridges of Ashdar Gali near Yusmarg; AK-series rifle and war-like stores recovered.
Affiliated with proscribed terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Conducted by Indian Army (Chinar Corps), J&K Police & CRPF.
Ammunition, magazines, and war-like stores seized on-site.
BUDGAM / SRINAGAR: In a major breakthrough against cross-border terror outfits, Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday officially confirmed the identity of the terrorist killed during the fierce gunfight in Budgam district as Yasir, a Pakistani national affiliated with the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The gunfight took place in the rugged mountain forests of Ashdar Gali, located in the upper reaches above the Yusmarg resort belt along the strategic Pir Panjal corridor connecting central Kashmir with the Poonch-Rajouri sector.
“You Can Run But You Can’t Hide!”
“The terrorist neutralised during Op Ashdar has been identified as Yasir, a Pakistani national of Lashkar-e-Taiba.”
How ‘Operation Ashdar’ Unfolded in High-Altitude Forests
The counter-terror offensive, christened ‘Operation Ashdar’ by the Srinagar-based 15 Corps (Chinar Corps), was initiated following razor-sharp intelligence inputs regarding the suspicious presence and movement of foreign armed cadres attempting to establish transit sanctuaries in the deep forest covers of Budgam.
A coordinated cordon-and-search operation was quickly laid out by a combined team of the Indian Army, Jammu & Kashmir Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). As troops sealed off escape ridges and zeroed in on the suspected location, the hiding terrorist was challenged.
Refusing to surrender, the militant opened heavy indiscriminate fire using an automatic assault rifle. In the ensuing exchange of fire, the foreign LeT operative was neutralised. Following the gunfight, security personnel recovered one AK-series assault rifle, multiple loaded magazines, and other war-like stores from his possession.
Security Grid Tightened: IGP Kashmir Takes Stock
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Zone, Sujit Kumar, along with senior military and CRPF commanders, visited the operation site to review the security grid and monitor the ongoing sweep operations across the Pir Panjal ranges.
- Infiltration Tracking: Joint intelligence units are probing Yasir’s infiltration trail, his contact points, and the duration of his stay in the valley.
- Sanitisation Drives: Deep combing and drone surveillance continue across Ashdar Gali to rule out the presence of any accompanying associates or hidden arms caches.
- Blow to Terror Networks: Officials emphasized that eliminating a trained Pakistani operative scuttles attempts by handlers across the border to orchestrate subversive plots.
The Budgam operation marks a significant development after a period of relative operational lull in central Kashmir, proving that the counter-terror apparatus remains on high vigil across high-altitude infiltration and transit tracts.
