On November 8, 2025, the usually quiet valleys and towns of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district found themselves at the center of a sweeping security operation. Acting on what officials described as “credible intelligence inputs,” police and security forces launched a series of coordinated cordon and search operations (CASOs) across the region, targeting individuals believed to be facilitating, funding, and promoting cross-border terror activities—often at the behest of relatives operating from Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
According to a statement from Kulgam Police, the crackdown specifically targeted networks associated with Jammu and Kashmir nationals who have relocated to Pakistan or PoK, a group often referred to as JKNOP. Police described the operation as a major step toward dismantling the “terror ecosystem and subversive networks” that have long posed a threat to peace in the district. As reported by News Arena Network, “Kulgam Police today launched a massive crackdown on J&K nationals operating from Pakistan/Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (JKNOP).”
The operation was not limited to one area. In fact, multiple towns and villages across Kulgam district, as well as other parts of Kashmir, saw security forces fanning out in search of suspects. The focus was on those accused of acting as overground workers—people who, while not directly involved in violence themselves, are alleged to provide logistical support, funding, and even help recruit new operatives for terrorist organizations. These individuals, police said, often have close familial ties to handlers and commanders based across the border.
Digital devices and incriminating materials were seized during the raids, with authorities emphasizing that these items are being examined for further evidence and possible leads. The police statement, cited by etv Bharat, noted, “Digital devices and incriminating materials were also seized during the raids. These devices are being examined for further investigations.”
Among the most high-profile searches was one in Anantnag’s Liver village, where police raided the homes of Ghulam Nabi Khan (alias Amir Khan) and Zaffer Bhat (alias Khurshid). Both men are senior commanders of the Hizbul Mujahideen—one of the region’s most notorious militant groups—and are accused of orchestrating terror activities from Pakistan. Khan, in particular, is a designated terrorist under India’s Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and has been operating from PoK since the 1990s. According to etv Bharat, “Police carried out searches at the native village of Ghulam Nabi Khan alias Amir Khan, who is a senior terror commander of Hizbul Mujahideen... Police said they also raided the residence of Zaffer Bhat, alias Khurshid, in the same village. He is believed to be the financial chief of Hizbul.”
But the crackdown was not limited to southern Kashmir. In the northern town of Sopore, several suspects were booked and lodged in a sub-jail under preventive detention laws, while proceedings were initiated against others to block any future involvement in anti-national activities. Police officials stressed that the crackdown is as much about prevention as it is about prosecution, with a particular focus on protecting Kashmiri youth from being radicalized or recruited by extremist networks. “The operation will continue in the coming days with focused monitoring of terror associates and handlers’ networks, ensuring that peace and normalcy are not disturbed by elements acting at the behest of foreign handlers,” a police official told etv Bharat.
Authorities also revealed that technical and human surveillance has been ramped up to monitor sleeper cells, sympathizers, and online propagandists who may be attempting to radicalize young people or spread extremist content. This approach, officials say, is designed to disrupt not only the immediate logistics of terrorism but also the broader ideological networks that sustain it.
In Kulgam, the crackdown comes just a week after security forces busted two old terror hideouts in the district’s forested areas, which have long been considered a haven for militants. The region has seen repeated encounters between terrorists and security forces in recent months, underscoring the persistent threat posed by well-entrenched networks.
The Kulgam Police reiterated their commitment to maintaining peace and security in the district, vowing that operations against the terror support network would continue “until its complete dismantling.” As one police statement put it, “Kulgam Police has reiterated its commitment to uphold peace and security in the district, stating that operations against the terror support network will continue to ensure its complete dismantling.”
The anti-terror drive did not stop at homes and hideouts. On the same day, the Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police carried out multiple searches and raids at jails across the union territory. The purpose: to root out any illegal activities or networks operating from within the prison system. “The CIK is carrying out searches in various jails of Kashmir. Legal action will be taken if anything illegal is recovered during searches,” an official told the Press Trust of India (PTI).
Meanwhile, in a separate but related development, security forces neutralized two unidentified terrorists in a failed infiltration attempt along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district. Acting on specific intelligence, Indian Army troops spotted suspicious activity in the Keran sector and challenged the infiltrators, who responded with gunfire. “Two terrorists have been neutralized by the security forces in the ongoing operation. Search of the area in progress,” the Army posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Officials have made it clear that these operations are part of a broader, ongoing effort to break the cycle of violence and prevent the re-emergence of militant strongholds. The focus, they say, is on both dismantling the logistical and financial networks that support terrorism and countering the propaganda and recruitment efforts that threaten to pull a new generation into the conflict.
While the scale and intensity of the November 8 crackdown have drawn attention, they are also a reminder of the region’s complex security landscape. With handlers and financiers often operating from across the border, and with local networks providing the crucial support that sustains militancy, officials acknowledge that the challenge is as much about intelligence and community engagement as it is about boots on the ground.
For now, the message from police and security forces is clear: the crackdown will continue, and no part of the terror support network is considered off-limits. As the people of Kulgam and the wider Kashmir Valley watch these events unfold, there is hope that such sustained efforts will bring lasting peace—but also an acute awareness of the difficult road ahead.
