Operation Keller is a major counter-terrorism offensive launched by the Indian Army in response to the deadly Pahalgam attack of April 22, 2025, in which 26 civilians, primarily Hindu tourists, were killed in Baisaran Valley, Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

The attack, carried out by five armed militants using AK-47s and M4 carbines, is considered the deadliest on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The Resistance Front (TRF), widely regarded as a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) proxy, initially claimed responsibility before retracting, but Indian investigations linked the perpetrators to LeT and traced digital evidence to safe houses in Pakistan.

The attack intensified India-Pakistan tensions, resulting in diplomatic expulsions, border closures, and subsequent military escalation.

In the aftermath, Indian security forces, acting on specific intelligence from the Rashtriya Rifles, launched Operation Keller on May 13, 2025, targeting the dense forests of Shoekal Keller in Shopian district, South Kashmir.

The operation aimed to track down and neutralise the masterminds and operatives behind the Pahalgam massacre. As forces initiated a cordon and search operation, they encountered heavy gunfire from entrenched terrorists, leading to a fierce firefight. After a prolonged exchange, three hardcore LeT terrorists were killed and their bodies recovered from the forest.

Among those neutralised was Shahid Kuttay, the chief of TRF and identified mastermind of the Pahalgam attack. Kuttay was a high-value target involved in multiple high-profile attacks in the region, including the firing at Danish Resort (April 2024), the assassination of a BJP Sarpanch (May 2024), and the killing of a Territorial Army personnel (February 2025).

The other slain terrorists were identified as Hussain Thokar, a local from Anantnag, and two Pakistani nationals, Ali Bhai (alias Talha Bhai) and Hasim Musa (alias Suleiman). All three were closely linked to LeT and had participated in various terror activities across South Kashmir.

Operation Keller is part of a broader escalation in India’s counter-terrorism strategy, coming soon after Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The success of Operation Keller delivered a significant blow to LeT’s operational capabilities in the Valley and demonstrated the Indian Army’s ability to act swiftly on actionable intelligence. Authorities also publicized a list of wanted terrorists, offering rewards for information, and demolished the homes of suspected militants as part of a zero-tolerance approach to terror in the region.

The operation remains ongoing, with Indian forces continuing search and destroy missions in the area to hunt down remaining suspects linked to the Pahalgam attack. The elimination of the key masterminds, particularly TRF chief Shahid Kuttay, is seen as a major milestone in India’s efforts to restore security and deter cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

Agencies