Terrorists Kill Police Officer in Anantnag, Sparking Massive Crackdown

Terrorists opened fire on a police party at Lal Chowk in Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, around 12:30 p.m. on July 22, 2026. The attack killed Head Constable Ashiq Hussain of the IRP 3rd Battalion, who was on security duty for the Amarnath Yatra. Hussain, a 35-year-old resident of Budgam's Beerwah area, died at the Government Medical College Hospital in Anantnag.

The Resistance Front, a shadow outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the killing via a social media post. In response, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a massive search operation across the Kashmir Valley. This crackdown resulted in the detention of between 1,200 and 2,500 suspects, including approximately 700 detentions in Srinagar alone. Coordinated anti-terror operations and mobile checkpoints were also established across the Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, and Kulgam districts.

Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah both condemned the attack. Sinha described the killing as a heinous act and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice. Abdullah expressed his condolences to the officer's family, calling the attack cowardly. Director-General of Police Nalin Prabhat visited the attack site to assess the security situation.