Top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Altaf Lalli gunned down in Bandipora encounter

Lashkar-e-Taiba’s (LeT) top commander Altaf Lalli was killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Friday morning. The operation was launched after specific intelligence was received about the presence of terrorists in the area. The joint team of the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police established contact, leading to a fierce gunfight in which Lalli was shot dead.

The encounter is part of a broader operation to track down terrorists believed to be responsible for the April 22 attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley that killed 26 civilians, most of them tourists. During the Bandipora gunfight, two police personnel from a senior officer’s security team were also injured. According to earlier reports, one of the terrorists being chased was injured in the initial exchange of fire, though this remains unconfirmed by officials.

Late Thursday night, two houses belonging to suspected LeT operatives were targeted in South Kashmir. An IED blast destroyed the residence of Adil Hussain Thokar in Bijbehara, Anantnag, while the home of Asif Sheikh in Tral, Awantipora, was demolished using a bulldozer. Both individuals are accused of assisting Pakistani terrorists involved in the Baisaran Valley shooting. During a search of Asif Sheikh’s house in Moghama, a suspicious box with wires was found. The Indian Army’s RR Engineers confirmed it to be a threat, and it was destroyed in place, partially damaging the house. No casualties were reported as nearby homes had been evacuated.

Security agencies have intensified the search for other suspects linked to the April 22 attack. The Anantnag Police has announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for information leading to the arrest of Adil Hussain Thokar, and Pakistani nationals Ali Bhai and Hashim Musa. Sketches of the trio have been released as part of the effort to gather public assistance in the manhunt.

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi arrived in Srinagar on Friday to review the ongoing counter-terror operations. He was briefed on the Bandipora encounter and other developments related to the Pahalgam attack. Security forces remain deployed in the region, with further operations expected as part of the continuing crackdown on Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives.