Srinagar, September 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Security forces on Wednesday busted a suspected terror module allegedly operated by a former terrorist acting as a “hybrid militant” for the banned Hizbul Mujahideen outfit in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district, officials said.
The operation was jointly carried out by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, 21 Rashtriya Rifles and 92 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the Handwara-Kupwara area.
Officials said one accused, identified as Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Kruhmura in Handwara, was apprehended during the operation. A Chinese-made pistol, two magazines and 16 rounds of ammunition were recovered from his possession.
Bhat had previously been arrested in two cases, officials said. A case has now been registered under FIR No. 232 at Handwara police station, with further investigation underway to uncover the suspected module’s wider network and activities.
A “hybrid militant” generally refers to an individual who does not feature on official lists of active terrorists but can be directed by terror groups to carry out specific attacks before returning to an otherwise routine civilian life.
Security and intelligence agencies in Jammu and Kashmir have used the term to describe a changing pattern of militancy, in which operatives maintain a low profile and avoid establishing a conventional militant identity.
Such individuals may have regular jobs, attend educational institutions or remain within their communities until allegedly assigned an operation by their handlers. Terror groups have also been accused of using digital platforms and social media to recruit and radicalise potential operatives.
The operatives are typically provided with easily concealable weapons for carrying out targeted attacks before blending back into the civilian population, making their detection and preventive surveillance more difficult.
Unlike conventional militants who openly maintained links with terror outfits or engaged in sustained armed activities, hybrid operatives seek to avoid leaving a visible militant footprint.
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