Three terrorists affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba were gunned down on Tuesday during a fierce encounter with security forces in the Zinpather Keller area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district. One of the slain terrorists has been identified as Shahid, a local resident, according to intelligence sources.

The operation, codenamed Operation Keller after the encounter location, was launched by the Indian Army following “specific intelligence” inputs provided by the Rashtriya Rifles unit. The Army confirmed the development in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “During the operation, terrorists opened heavy fire and fierce firefight ensued, which resulted in elimination of three hardcore terrorists.” The operation remains active at the time of reporting.

Meanwhile, in a parallel counterterrorism development, security agencies have intensified their efforts to track down key suspects in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. 'Terror Free Kashmir' posters featuring three Pakistan-backed terrorists — Adil Hussain Thoker, Ali Bhai, and Hashim Musa — were prominently displayed across multiple locations in Shopian district. A reward of ₹20 lakh has been announced for credible information leading to their capture.

Authorities took a strong step earlier by demolishing the Bijbehara residence of Adil Hussain Thoker on April 25, using IEDs. Thoker is believed to have played a pivotal role in facilitating the Pakistani terrorists involved in the Baisaran Valley assault that left over two dozen civilians dead and injured.

The series of developments comes in the wake of Operation Sindoor, India’s large-scale counterterror offensive launched after the Pahalgam attack. In his first public address since the operation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Monday that India’s military response has only been “paused” and not withdrawn.

“We will be monitoring every step of Pakistan,” PM Modi declared. “The way the Pakistani Army and the Pakistan government are encouraging terrorism, it will destroy Pakistan one day,” he added, issuing a stern warning of future retaliation if terror activities persist across the border.

Operation Sindoor saw precision strikes on multiple Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen terror camps located within Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).