LeT terrorist killed in J&K: Yasir was behind 2024 attack on IAF convoy, civilians
A terrorist identified as Yasir, affiliated with the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was killed in an encounter in the Yousmarg area of Budgam district, Jammu and Kashmir.
The operation, codenamed Operation Ashdar, was launched by security forces after intelligence inputs indicated the movement of a group of terrorists through the high-altitude Pir Panjal mountain range.
Security forces, including the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and central paramilitary units, undertook a multi-hour trek through difficult terrain to reach the encounter site.
Yasir is suspected to have been involved in the 2024 ambush on an Indian Air Force (IAF) convoy in Poonch district and in related attacks on civilians in the region.
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) and Banned Organisations
The UAPA is India's principal anti-terror legislation, originally enacted to place reasonable restrictions on fundamental freedoms under Article 19(1) in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India. It was substantially amended in 2004 to bring "terrorist activities" and organisations engaged in them within its scope.
Key Details
- Organisations declared as "terrorist organisations" are listed in the First Schedule under Section 35 of the Act; separately, "unlawful associations" are declared under Section 3(1).
- Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was among the outfits banned when terrorism provisions were introduced into the UAPA in 2004, along with organisations such as Jaish-e-Mohammed.
- As of recent government data, dozens of organisations are listed as terrorist organisations under the First Schedule, in addition to a separate list of unlawful associations under Section 3(1).
- A 2019 amendment to the UAPA extended the power to designate individuals (not just organisations) as terrorists.
LeT's designation as a banned terrorist organisation under the UAPA's First Schedule is the legal basis for treating its members, such as the slain terrorist, as terrorists rather than ordinary criminal offenders, enabling specialised investigation and prosecution provisions under the Act.
Counter-Terrorism Operations and Institutional Roles in J&K
Security operations in Jammu and Kashmir against militancy are typically conducted jointly by the Indian Army, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and other central armed police forces, and the Jammu and Kashmir Police, coordinated on the basis of specific intelligence inputs.
Key Details
- The Jammu and Kashmir Police plays the lead role in local intelligence gathering, identification of slain/apprehended militants, and coordination with central forces.
- Operations named after code words (as with "Operation Ashdar") are a standard practice to identify specific counter-insurgency missions.
- The Pir Panjal range, straddling the Jammu region, has increasingly featured in security operations as militant movement has shifted from the traditional Kashmir Valley routes.
The joint, intelligence-driven nature of Operation Ashdar reflects the standard institutional architecture of counter-terrorism operations in J&K, where the police and armed forces act on shared intelligence to neutralise threats before they materialise into attacks.
- Terrorist neutralised: Yasir, affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
- Operation name: Operation Ashdar; location: Yousmarg area, Budgam district, J&K.
- Suspected involvement: 2024 ambush on an IAF convoy in Poonch district and related attacks on civilians.
- Legal basis for LeT's banned status: UAPA, 1967 (as amended in 2004), First Schedule (Section 35) listing of terrorist organisations.