Terrorist kill J&K cop in Anantnag market, first strike since Pahalgam attack

SRINAGAR: A terrorist shot dead a J&K police head constable in Lal Chowk market of south Kashmir’s Anantnag town when it was bustling with shoppers around 12.30pm Wednesday. This marks the first attack in Kashmir since the Pahalgam massacre that left 26 people dead on April 22, 2025.Ashiq Hussain Qureshi, attached to IRP 3rd battalion, was part of a team deployed to secure the “Lal Chowk-Kokernag axis”. He suffered critical bullet wounds and later died, Kashmir IGP VK Birdi said. Qureshi’s team retaliated but the terrorist escaped by blending into the crowd.According to a shopkeeper, two bullets struck his shop. “We heard gunshots and ducked down inside the shop. Later we saw a policeman lying on the road,” he said.Security forces sealed the area and launched a search. Police also cracked down on suspected terrorist networks, detaining many people for questioning.