J&K policeman killed in terror attack in Anantnag during Amarnath Yatra security duty

A policeman was killed in a terrorist attack in the Anantnag town of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday (July 22).

According to officials, the attack took place around 12.30 pm on Wednesday at Lal Chowk in Anantnag.

Elaborating further, they said that a head constable, Ashiq Hussain (35), posted on Amarnath yatra security duty, was injured in the attack and rushed to the Government Medical College hospital at Anantnag, adding that the doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Constable shot dead

According to an NDTV report, the Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Toiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack in a social media post.

Also Read: Kashmir will not be weakened by narrative terrorism

The deceased is a resident of Beerwah in central Kashmir's Budgam district. Officials said he suffered critical bullet injuries after coming under attack near Lal Chowk in Anantnag town. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries, reported Deccan Herald.

Following the incident, security personnel sealed the area and deployed additional reinforcements. A search operation was also launched to trace the attacker.

Massive search launched

The incident took place at a time when security has been intensified across Jammu and Kashmir in view of the ongoing annual Amarnath Yatra.

Also Read: J-K: Flash floods, landslides wreak havoc in Poonch-Rajouri belt; 11 dead, several missing

Officials noted that south Kashmir, which was once regarded as the hub of militancy in the Valley, has seen a significant decline in militant violence over the last two years. However, they added that sporadic targeted attacks on security personnel continue to remain a concern.

Senior police officers reached the spot soon after the attack, while forensic experts began collecting and examining evidence to piece together the sequence of events. Officials said further details would be shared as the investigation progresses.

First major strike since Pahalgam: Report

According to an India Today report, the attack is being seen as the first major terrorist incident in Jammu and Kashmir since the Pahalgam terror attack last year that claimed 26 lives.

The incident had prompted India to launch Operation Sindoor, a large-scale counter-terror operation aimed at targeting terrorist infrastructure.