Hunt On For Lashkar Commander Latif Bhat In J&K, Rs 15 Lakh Bounty Announced

The security forces have put up 'wanted' posters with Bhat's photograph across several districts of South Kashmir and parts of Jammu province.

07 Aug 2026, 02:54 · NDTV

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Jammu and Kashmir Police offer Rs 15 lakh for information on Lashkar commander Latif Bhat
Wanted posters with Bhat's photo displayed across South Kashmir and Jammu districts
Bhat is linked to targeted killings of migrants and security personnel in Kashmir

What measures are being taken to protect migrant workers in Kashmir?
Jammu:

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have announced a cash reward of Rs 15 lakh for information leading to the arrest of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Latif Bhat, who was likely behind the recent targeted killings in the Union Territory.

The security forces have put up 'wanted' posters with Bhat's photograph across several districts of South Kashmir and parts of Jammu province. The police have also appealed to the public to share any information regarding the Lashkar commander's whereabouts, and assured that the identity of informers would be kept strictly confidential.

Bhat is a Lashkar commander who shot into prominence after the Shopian encounter - during which he, along with top Lashkar commander Zakir Ganai, was trapped. During the five-day-long encounter, security forces killed Zakir.

However, Bhat managed to flee.

Agencies suspect that since then, Bhat has reactivated sleeper cells to carry out targeted killings of non-locals and security personnel at the behest of handlers across the border.

Bhat is the prime accused in the killing of a policeman in a targeted attack last month in Anantnag, following which a major police crackdown was launched across Kashmir. His role is also suspected in the killing of two migrants in Kulgam last week.

The two workers died after terrorists fired at them. While Deepak, a resident of Chhattisgarh, died on the spot, another migrant worker, identified as Bhupender - who was also from Chhattisgarh - was shifted to the hospital, but he died during the treatment.

According to a preliminary investigation, a small-caliber weapon - likely a pistol - was used in both the attacks, instead of an AK-47 rifle. This points to the hallmark of 'hybrid terrorists' - the Over Ground Workers who are locally recruited to carry out strikes and then hide in the civilian population. Officials said that the modus operandi of both attacks matches The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of LeT.

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