Lashkar Commander Altaf Lalli Killed In Bandipora Encounter | UPDATES: India’s counter-terror operation following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack entered a new phase Friday morning as top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Altaf Lalli was gunned down in a high-stakes encounter in Bandipora, Jammu and Kashmir. The killing of Lalli, believed to be a key planner behind the Baisaran massacre, marks the first high-profile elimination since the attack that claimed 26 civilian lives.
The Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a joint search operation in the Bandipora district based on actionable intelligence. After establishing contact with hiding terrorists, a fierce gunfight ensued.
“Altaf Lalli was neutralized in the early hours of Friday,” a senior official confirmed. Lalli had long been on the radar of security agencies due to his operational linkages with Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba handlers.
During the same encounter, two police personnel—part of a senior officer’s personal security team—sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment at a military hospital.
Sources added that another terrorist was wounded in the initial firefight and is being tracked by security teams in a continuing cordon and search operation in the region.
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Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi Arrives in Kashmir for Security Review
Amid escalating tensions and back-to-back anti-terror actions, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi arrived in Srinagar on Friday. He was briefed about the Bandipora encounter and the broader counter-terror operations being executed across Kashmir Valley.
Dwivedi is scheduled to conduct a comprehensive security review, which will include meetings with senior commanders, intelligence officers, and local police personnel engaged in the manhunt for the terrorists behind the Baisaran Valley attack.
Houses of Key LeT Terrorists Razed in Bijbehara and Tral
In parallel developments, the homes of two other suspects involved in the Pahalgam massacre were demolished by security forces.
– Adil Hussain Thoker’s house in Bijbehara was destroyed using IEDs, with authorities citing his direct involvement in planning the attack.
– Asif Sheikh’s residence in Tral was razed to the ground using a bulldozer.
ALSO READ: 2 days after Pahalgam attack, IAF Rafales, Su-30s carry out major Exercise ‘Aakraman’
The coordinated demolitions come just days after sketches of Thoker, and Pakistani nationals Ali Bhai and Hashim Musa were released by the Anantnag Police. A reward of ₹20 lakh has been announced for credible information leading to their arrest.
India’s Counter-Terror Doctrine: Swift Retaliation, Global Messaging
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first remarks after the attack, vowed to “identify, track and punish” every terrorist and their backers. “We will pursue them to the ends of the earth. India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism,” he said, adding that the backers of such attacks will be punished beyond their imagination.
India has since implemented a host of retaliatory measures against Pakistan, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, visa bans, expulsion of Pakistani officials, and the closure of the Attari-Wagah land route.
