On May 13, 2025, the Indian Army executed ‘Operation Keller’, a precision counter-terrorism mission in the dense forests of Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir.

The high-stakes mission led to the elimination of three hardened terrorists from the Pakistan-backed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Coming close on the heels of ‘Operation Sindoor’, which targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the success of Operation Keller demonstrates India's unwavering resolve against cross-border terrorism.

The operation was launched following actionable intelligence about the presence of heavily armed terrorists in the Shoekal Keller area of Shopian.

Units of the Rashtriya Rifles, along with the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), initiated a coordinated cordon-and-search mission in the dense terrain.

As security forces moved in, they were fired upon, leading to an intense gunfight. After hours of sustained engagement, three terrorists were neutralised, and a large quantity of arms and ammunition was recovered.

Lashkar-e-Taiba Operatives Eliminated in the Encounter

The terrorists killed were identified as Shahid Kuttay, Adnan Shafi Dar, and Ehsan ul Haq Sheikh, all associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba, a proscribed terrorist organisation supported by Pakistan’s intelligence agencies.

Intel also identified that these individuals were involved in several attacks targeting civilians and security personnel in South Kashmir. The recovery of AK-series rifles, grenades, and other warlike stores highlighted the lethality of their mission and the scale of the threat averted.

A further group of three terrorists were killed today (May 15), whose identities were being ascertained at the time of filing of this report.

Operation Sindoor: India’s Strategic Response to Pakistan’s Proxy War

Operation Keller came barely days after the launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025. The latter operation was conducted in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.

In Operation Sindoor, the Indian Armed Forces struck multiple terrorist camps across Pakistan and PoK, eliminating over 100 terrorists, serving as a stark reminder to Islamabad of India’s policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism.

Shamefully, despite a formal ceasefire, Pakistan continues to enable terror groups like LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed, using them as instruments of its state policy against India.

A Blow to Pakistan-Sponsored Terrorism in Kashmir

Pakistan’s decades-old strategy of waging a proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir has faced increasing setbacks due to India’s tactical transformation. The coordination between Indian intelligence and armed forces has led to successive eliminations of high-value terrorist targets, with Operation Keller being the latest example.

As India continues to evolve its counter-terrorism doctrine, such integrated operations send a strong message: there will be no safe haven for terrorists, whether in Kashmir or beyond.