New Delhi, November 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Investigating agencies have zeroed in on the suspected role of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in two terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district this year, despite the outfit allegedly using different proxy names to claim or obscure responsibility, officials said.
The attacks took place in Mir Bazar on November 11 and in the Killam area on August 1. Officials said both were carried out by Lashkar operatives, with Mohammad Lateef Bhat, a suspected LeT operative, identified as a key figure in the investigations. CRPF personnel present during the latest attack have reportedly identified Bhat as one of the attackers.
An official said the two incidents had similarities and were allegedly carried out by Bhat with the assistance of his associates. Investigators have recovered a Motorola mobile phone and a SIM card from the latest attack site. Cartridges recovered there are reportedly being examined for possible matches with those found after the August attack.
A major manhunt has been launched to trace Bhat, who is believed to be hiding somewhere in south Kashmir. Officials also suspect his involvement in the Anantnag attack in which Head Constable Ashiq Hussain was killed. He is said to be in contact and working closely with foreign terrorists active in the region.
Investigators are also examining the suspected role of overground workers (OWGs), who allegedly provided logistical support and information about security force movements. Several people were questioned after the November 11 attack and released, while the role of three suspected OWGs is being verified.
Officials believe the same support network may have helped Bhat and his associates obtain information linked to the Anantnag attack and the August 1 Killam strike, in which migrant workers were targeted. Investigators are now attempting to identify the wider network and establish whether it provided assistance in the latest attack.
An Intelligence Bureau official said several OWG networks had been dismantled in the Valley, but new ones continued to emerge, allegedly with assistance from Pakistan’s ISI. The official claimed that people were recruited through financial inducements or threats against them and their families.
The investigation is also examining the use of different proxy identities, including the Resistance Front, Pasdaran-e-Hurriyat Kashmir and Kashmir Revolutionary Army. Officials allege that such names are used to divert attention from Lashkar-e-Taiba and provide it with a degree of deniability amid international scrutiny.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) visited the November 11 attack site on Thursday and collected evidence for forensic examination. Officials said at least three terrorists, including Bhat and two foreign nationals, were suspected to have been involved.
Investigators have so far attributed a key role in the latest attack to Bhat and the two foreign terrorists, while examining the suspected direct involvement of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Tracing the alleged OWG network and locating Bhat remain major priorities for the agencies.
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