J&K cop killed as terrorist opens fire on patrol in Anantnag, search ops on

Soon after the attack, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a massive search and counter-terror operation to trace the assailant.J&K cop Aashiq Hussain Qureshi was shot dead in terrorist attack in AnantanagA Jammu and Kashmir Police constable was killed after a terrorist opened fire on him in a shoot-and-scoot attack in Anantnag on Wednesday, marking one of the terror incidents in the Valley since the Pahalgam attack last year.The deceased has been identified as Aashiq Hussain Qureshi, 35, a constable of the 3rd Battalion of the India Reserve (IR), and a resident of Budgam district. The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack through a social media post.According to official sources, the attack took place near Lal Chowk in Anantnag, where the policeman was on patrolling duty. A bike-borne terrorist opened fire and later fled the spot. Gunshots were heard in the area, triggering panic among locals.Qureshi sustained a serious injury and was immediately rushed to the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital in Anantnag. However, doctors declared him dead on arrival. Medico-legal formalities are being carried out as per protocol. Soon after the attack, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a massive search and counter-terror operation to trace the assailant. Additional reinforcements were rushed to the spot, while checkpoints were set up across key routes. Officials said efforts are underway to identify and apprehend the attacker.The latest attack comes amid heightened security across the Union Territory, with forces maintaining an intensified counter-terror grid following Operation Sindoor. The motive behind the attack remains under investigation. The incident is being viewed as the first major terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir since the Pahalgam terror attack last year, in which 26 people were killed. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, a major counter-terror operation targeting terrorist infrastructure.- EndsPublished On: Jul 22, 2026 13:16 IST