Mastermind behind Z-Morh tunnel workers’ attack neutralized in Dachigam encounter

Lashkar terrorist Junaid Ahmed Bhat behind Gagangir civilian killings dead in Kashmir encounter

A joint team of security forces neutralized a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) dreaded terrorist, behind a gruesome terror strike on innocent construction workers of a prestigious Z-Morh tunnel project, in the ongoing anti-terrorist operation in the Dachigam forest area of Srinagar on Tuesday.

A total number of seven civilians including a local doctor were massacred by the gun-toting terrorists inside the makeshift camp near Gagangir in the Sonamarg area of Ganderbal on October 20, 2024.

The Jammu and Kashmir police have identified the slain terrorist as Junaid Ahmed Bhat of Kulgam.

According to police records, Junaid, A category terrorist, was associated with the pro-Pakistan Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist outfit and was responsible for the civilian killings at Gagangir, Ganderbal, and several other terror attacks.

Soon after the terror attack on the makeshift construction workers camp in Sonmarg, CCTV footage of Junaid surfaced on social media. The CCTV footage revealed how Junaid targeted the construction workers along with a foreign terrorist who is still at large.

At that time the security agencies had not confirmed the identity of the mastermind behind the strike.

On Tuesday, Kashmir Zone police in a post on X said, “In the ongoing Dachigam operation, one terrorist is killed and has been identified as Junaid Ahmed Bhat ( LeT, Category A). The said terrorist was involved in civilian killings at Gagangir, Ganderbal, and several other terror attacks.

The operation was launched by the joint team of security forces on Monday in the upper reaches of Dachigam.

The search operation turned into a gunfight after terrorists fired at a search party of the security forces who retaliated. In the exchange of fire on Tuesday morning, a terrorist identified as Junaid Ahmed Bhat, was killed.

#OPDachigam : In the ongoing operation, one #terrorist is killed and has been identified as Junaid Ahmed Bhat ( LeT, Category A). The said terrorist was involved in civilians killing at Gagangir, Ganderbal and several other terror attacks. (1/2) https://t.co/zWXLOAtVb5

— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) December 3, 2024

The police said a cordon-and-search operation was underway in the upper reaches of Dachigam and further details were awaited. The security forces have also beefed up security in and around the Srinagar city after the encounter started.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Tuesday took a high-level review of the Home Department with the top brass of the Jammu and Kashmir police. The security review meeting deliberated on the prevailing security situation and steps taken to prevent a surge in the incidents of terrorist violence in the region.

Following a series of targeted attacks on the security forces the centre had rushed additional forces and reviewed the deployment pattern to prevent fresh infiltration bids from across the border. BSF has also deployed additional troops to plug the gaps along the International border across the Jammu frontier.

Chaired a review meeting of Home Department at Raj Bhavan today. Evaluated the progress of ongoing projects under SRE, PMDP and discussed issues related to prison management, border management, police modernization and human resource. pic.twitter.com/ubc0vHjZjL

— Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) December 3, 2024

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