Security agencies have stepped up their search for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Mohammed Lateef Bhat following an attack on CRPF personnel in Kulgam, South Kashmir, in which three personnel were injured. Investigators suspect Bhat's involvement in the attack. He is also accused of killing a police head constable in Anantnag and two non-local labourers in Kulgam.
According to security officials, Bhat, aged around 22, hails from Khrewan Chader in Kulgam district. He is believed to be the only remaining active local terrorist operating in the Kashmir Valley, according to police assessments.
A college dropout and former carpenter, Bhat reportedly went missing in November 2025 before joining the Lashkar-e-Taiba. The outfit is linked to groups such as The Resistance Front (TRF) and Kashmir Resistance Alliance (KRA).
Bhat had reportedly escaped a security operation in Shopian in July 2026. He was also believed to be in contact with Zakir Ahmad Ganie, who was killed in an encounter in Shopian during the same month.
Police have accused Bhat of killing Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi in Anantnag on July 22, 2026. He is also suspected of shooting dead two non-local labourers from Chhattisgarh in Kulgam around July 31. A reward of Rs 15 lakh has been announced for information leading to his arrest.
Security agencies believe Bhat is currently moving alongside foreign terrorists in South Kashmir, making efforts to track his movements a major challenge for the forces.
Meanwhile, wanted posters featuring four suspected terrorist operatives were put up at several locations in Srinagar days before the latest attack. The posters named Mohammed Lateef Bhat of Kulgam, Bilal Ahmad Mir and Mohammad Umar Mir of Sopore, and Abid Qayoom Lone of Pattan in Baramulla district.
While Bhat is believed to be active in the Kashmir Valley, the other three operatives are suspected to be operating from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
Following the attack on CRPF personnel, security forces have intensified search operations across parts of South Kashmir. Agencies are focusing on tracking down Bhat and identifying possible links between the latest attack and other recent terror-related incidents in the region.
Reader Comments 0