Jammu and Kashmir Police have launched one of the Valley’s largest counter-terror operations in recent months after Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi was shot dead by a terrorist in the busy Lal Chowk market of Anantnag on July 22.
Within hours of the attack, security agencies carried out coordinated raids across multiple districts, detaining more than 2,000 suspected Over Ground Workers (OGWs), terror sympathisers and other preventive detainees for questioning.
Police said the intelligence-led operation aims to dismantle the networks that allegedly provide logistical, financial, communication, transportation and shelter support to terrorist organisations.
The attack, which took place while Qureshi was deployed for Amarnath Yatra security, is being viewed by security officials as the first successful targeted killing of a security personnel in Kashmir since the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians lost their lives.
While investigators continue to search for the gunman, police have stressed that those detained are being questioned in accordance with legal procedures. At the same time, civil liberties advocates have consistently urged authorities to ensure due process and protect individual rights during preventive detentions and investigations.
Valley-Wide Search Intensifies
According to Jammu and Kashmir Police, the attack occurred around 12.30 pm in Anantnag’s crowded Lal Chowk market, one of South Kashmir’s busiest commercial hubs. Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi, attached to the 3rd Battalion of the India Reserve Police (IRP), was deployed along the Lal Chowk-Kokernag axis as part of the security arrangements for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra when a lone terrorist allegedly approached him while concealing an assault rifle beneath a cloth and opened fire at close range.
Qureshi sustained multiple bullet injuries and was rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital in Anantnag, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) V.K. Birdi confirmed the death and said security personnel immediately retaliated, but the attacker managed to escape after blending into the crowd.
Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat later visited the site to review the security situation and oversee the investigation before attending the slain policeman’s wreath-laying ceremony. Within hours, security forces launched coordinated search operations across the Valley. In Srinagar alone, police detained nearly 700 suspected OGWs during district-wide raids.
In Baramulla, 178 suspected OGWs were taken into custody, while Budgam Police detained over 200 individuals, including suspected OGWs, people allegedly linked to narcotics-related offences and other preventive detainees.
More than 100 suspects were detained in Ganderbal, while preventive detentions were also carried out across Anantnag, Shopian and Kulgam, taking the Valley-wide figure beyond 2,000.
Explaining the objective of the operation, police said the raids were aimed at “identifying and neutralising networks that provide logistical, financial, communication, transportation, shelter and other forms of support to terrorist organisations.”
Authorities also maintained that the detentions are being carried out on the basis of credible intelligence and that all individuals are being questioned and verified under established legal procedures.
Why Investigators Are Targeting OGW Networks
The latest crackdown reflects a broader strategy by security agencies to target the alleged support ecosystem that enables militant groups to function beyond armed operatives. In Jammu and Kashmir, an Over Ground Worker (OGW) generally refers to a civilian whom security agencies suspect of providing non-combat assistance to terrorist organisations.
According to police, such assistance may include arranging safe houses, transporting militants, relaying information, facilitating communication, providing finances or supplies, recruiting sympathisers, or helping militants evade security forces.
Investigators believe the Anantnag attacker may have received local logistical support that enabled him to strike in a crowded marketplace and escape despite heightened security arrangements for the Amarnath Yatra.
Officials are examining CCTV footage, questioning detainees and analysing intelligence inputs to establish whether the attacker acted with local assistance or as part of a larger militant network. Some reports have cited claims circulating on social media from militant-linked groups regarding responsibility for the attack.
However, these claims have not been independently verified, and authorities have not officially attributed responsibility to any organisation as the investigation remains ongoing. Meanwhile, security deployment has been strengthened across South Kashmir with additional checkpoints, intensified searches and surveillance.
Reports have also emerged that security forces demolished the houses of two alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)-linked militants in Anantnag as part of the broader counter-terror response, although officials have not formally linked those actions to the investigation into Qureshi’s killing.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The killing of a police officer in a crowded marketplace is a stark reminder of the human cost of violence and the continuing security challenges in Kashmir. Equally, any response to terrorism must uphold the rule of law, constitutional safeguards and the principles of justice.
While security agencies have a responsibility to prevent further attacks and dismantle networks that support violence, investigations and preventive actions should remain transparent, evidence-based and respectful of due process to maintain public trust. Sustainable peace in Kashmir cannot rest solely on security measures; it also requires dialogue, accountability, community confidence and an unwavering commitment to protecting both lives and liberties.
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