Security forces pursue suspected LeT commander Lateef Bhat after targeted Kashmir killings

The Story in Brief

Security agencies have intensified the hunt for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Mohammad Lateef Bhat, whom investigators believe was the key conspirator behind a series of recent targeted killings in Jammu and Kashmir. Authorities have announced a cash reward of Rs 15 lakh for information leading to his arrest and circulated wanted posters across Srinagar and other parts of the Valley, including at the Press Enclave, asking the public to share credible information with security agencies. Officials describe Bhat as having come into focus during a Shopian encounter in which senior LeT commander Zakir Ganai was killed and Bhat escaped.

Investigators suspect Bhat coordinated attacks that killed a head constable and two migrant workers. On July 31 two labourers from Chhattisgarh were shot in Kulgam; Deepak died on the spot and Bhupender later died in hospital. Preliminary inquiries say both attacks used a small‑calibre firearm, likely a pistol, and resemble shootings linked to The Resistance Front (TRF). Intelligence agencies say Bhat is thought to be reactivating sleeper cells and coordinating attacks on instructions from handlers across the border.

The Indian Opinion

Readers should note that much of this account rests on security assessments and preliminary investigations. Terms such as “believed” and “suspected” signal that several assertions – including links to cross‑border handlers, the reactivation of sleeper cells, and TRF involvement – are intelligence judgments rather than court‑established facts. The publication of wanted posters and a monetary reward are routine policing measures, but repeated emphasis on fear‑spreading motives can affect community relations and the safety of migrant workers. Where evidence is thin, reporting should keep clear distinctions between confirmed facts, official beliefs and ongoing inquiries.

Original article: Targeted killings in Kashmir: Security forces hunt LeT’s Lateef Bhat (www.indiatoday.in)

This story was summarised and commented on by AI from the source linked above.