Kashmir police name 21‑year‑old as sole active local terrorist behind Anantnag killing

Lateef Ahmad, 21, a resident of Kulgam in south Kashmir, has been identified by police as the lone active local terrorist who orchestrated the July 25 attack in Anantnag that killed a police officer at Lal Chowk. Inspector General of Police Sujit Kumar said Ahmad remains the only local recruit currently operating, though foreign militants continue to move across the region. Kumar added that these foreign operatives frequently shift locations and are being tracked by security forces. The police have strengthened their presence along the Poonch‑Budgam axis, a key route used by militants to move from the Line of Control into the Kashmir valley, and specialised units now dominate the heights there. Security teams are also monitoring the technology used by hidden terrorists to evade online tracking, though details were not disclosed. Stringent highway protocols were introduced after earlier terror incidents; improvised explosive devices continue to be recovered. Kumar highlighted three major challenges involving local youth: drug abuse, cybercrime and traffic violations, and urged both youth and elders to report drug‑related cases. This year the police arrested 1,941 locals in 1,651 NDPS cases, attached property worth ₹154 crore and froze ₹1.71 crore in bank accounts. Authorities recorded about 12,385 complaints of cyber fraud, many involving local youths. ## Context The lone local terrorist figure reflects the overall decline in Kashmir militancy, while foreign elements and criminal activities keep security forces on high alert.