Dramatic visual evidence has surfaced from a high-stakes encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Awantipora, where three terrorists were neutralised by security forces in an early morning operation on Thursday.
In one video clip, a terrorist is seen crouching behind a concrete pillar, clutching what appears to be an assault rifle. Another video, captured from a higher vantage point, shows the militants huddled together inside a dilapidated shed, highlighting the intensity and danger of the standoff.
The joint operation was launched by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in the Tral region of Awantipora, a sub-district located in Pulwama in south Kashmir. Prior to being cornered, the terrorists had taken shelter in a residential home. All three were eliminated during the coordinated operation. This marks the second encounter in Kashmir in just two days.
Back-to-Back Operations in Kashmir
On Tuesday, May 13, security forces killed three more terrorists in an encounter that began in Kulgam and later shifted to a forested area in Shopian. Acting on credible intelligence, Indian forces intercepted the movement of the terrorists, leading to a fierce gunfight.
There were initial reports suggesting a fourth terrorist may have been involved in the Shopian operation, but that detail remains unconfirmed. These back-to-back encounters come amid intensified counterterrorism efforts following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam last month.
Pahalgam Attack Triggers Crackdown
On April 22, a brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam claimed the lives of 26 civilians, most of them tourists. The Resistance Front, a known proxy of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility.
Indian intelligence identified four to five operatives behind the attack, and a manhunt has been ongoing to track down the culprits.
In the immediate aftermath, India initiated a series of non-military measures to mount diplomatic and strategic pressure on Pakistan. These included suspending specific visa categories for Pakistani nationals and putting the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty on hold. The treaty governs the sharing of the Indus river system, which is crucial for Pakistan’s agriculture and supplies nearly 80 per cent of its irrigation water.
Fifteen days after the Pahalgam attack, on the morning of May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor—a calculated series of air strikes targeting terrorist infrastructure.
The operation targeted nine terror camps, four of which were located inside Pakistani territory. Among them was a key Lashkar-e-Taiba headquarters and training facility—believed to be directly linked to multiple terror attacks on India.
Pakistan retaliated with missile and drone attacks over four consecutive nights. However, India’s advanced air defense systems effectively intercepted these threats, minimising damage and casualties. After several days of rising military tension, both nations agreed to a ceasefire reportedly facilitated by the United States.
In his address to the nation earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Operation Sindoor as a turning point in India’s approach to cross-border terrorism. He described it as a "new normal" in India’s national security doctrine—one that emphasizes swift, targeted responses to threats and minimal tolerance for terror activities.
Also Read: Operation Sindoor: China’s role keeps India on high alert
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