 "After Sindoor, what is Operation Keller that Indian Army has launched?")
The Indian Army eliminated three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in the dense forest region of Keller, Shopian district in Kashmir, on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.
The operation, dubbed ‘Operation Keller’, was launched following precise intelligence inputs from a Rashtriya Rifles unit about the presence of terrorists in the Shoekal Keller area.
According to an official Army statement posted on X, “OPERATION KELLER. On 13 May 2025, based on specific intelligence of a #RashtriyasRifles Unit, about presence of terrorists in general area Shoekal Keller, #Shopian, #IndianArmy launched a search and destroy Operation. During the operation, terrorists opened heavy fire and fierce firefight ensued, which resulted in elimination of three hardcore terrorists. Operation is in progress.”
OPERATION KELLER
— ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) May 13, 2025
On 13 May 2025, based on specific intelligence of a #RashtriyasRifles Unit, about presence of terrorists in general area Shoekal Keller, #Shopian, #IndianArmy launched a search and destroy Operation. During the operation, terrorists opened heavy fire and fierce… pic.twitter.com/KZwIkEGiLF
The encounter reportedly began in the adjoining Kulgam district and extended into Shopian, where the terrorists were finally gunned down during a heavy exchange of fire.
What we know about the terrorists killed in Operation Keller
Security forces identified the slain terrorists as Shahid Kuttay, Adnan Shafi Dar and Haris Nazir — all linked to Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Shahid Kuttay, a resident of Chotipora Heerpora in Shopian and the son of Mohammad Yousuf Kuttay, had joined LeT on March 8, 2023.
He was involved in multiple terror activities, including a firing at the Danish Resort on April 8, 2024, that left two German tourists injured.
He was also linked to the killing of a BJP sarpanch in Heerpora on May 18, 2024, and is suspected of killing a Territorial Army personnel in Kulgam’s Behibagh on February 3, 2025.
Adnan Shafi Dar, hailing from Wanduna Melhora, Shopian, joined LeT in October 2024. He was responsible for the murder of a non-local labourer in Wachi, Shopian, the same month he joined.
Haris Nazir, reportedly from Pulwama, was also implicated in the April 2024 Danish Resort attack, although his full background is still being investigated.
Recovered from the site were three AK-47 rifles along with other arms and ammunition, confirming the group’s preparedness for continued terror activity in the region.
Operation Keller follows ‘Sindoor’
The encounter took place amid rising cross-border tensions , following India’s bold cross-border counterterrorism offensive — ‘Operation Sindoor’ — on May 7, during which nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) were targeted.
That operation was a retaliatory measure for the brutal killing of 26 civilians, including tourists, in the Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam on April 22.
Indian intelligence attributes that April 22 attack to three Pakistan-based terrorists — Adil Hussain Thoker, Ali Bhai and Hashim Musa — whose posters labelled “Terror-Free Kashmir” have since been plastered across Shopian .
Authorities have announced a Rs 20 lakh reward for credible information on their whereabouts.
Operation Keller is seen as a continuation of India’s stepped-up counterterror campaign in the Valley, reinforcing its zero-tolerance approach to cross-border terrorism.
What this says about India’s counter-terrorism strategy
Operation Keller also unfolds in the backdrop of renewed ceasefire fragility between India and Pakistan. The recent weeks have witnessed cross-border shelling and drone incursions, prompting India to raise its security posture along the Line of Control (LoC).
Indian Army’s swift operations — Sindoor followed by Keller — highlight the evolving strategy to act on actionable intelligence and dismantle threats before they materialise.
These high-impact operations reflect a shift in India’s security calculus, aimed at proactive and preemptive neutralisation of terror threats, both within Jammu and Kashmir and across the LoC.
Following Operation Sindoor, Keller’s success reinforces New Delhi’s message that those who perpetuate terror will be tracked and eliminated — within or beyond borders.
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