Top TRF Commander Shahid Kuttay Killed in Major Anti-Terror Operation in Kashmir’s Shopian District

In a significant success for Indian security forces, Shahid Kuttay, the chief of the Resistance Front (TRF) — a Pakistan-backed proxy of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) — was killed during a high-stakes counterterrorism operation conducted in the Keller area of Shopian district, in South Kashmir. Kuttay was the mastermind behind the recent Pahalgam terror attack, and his elimination marks a major blow to the TRF’s operational command structure in the region.

The Indian Army, in a statement released on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), confirmed that three heavily armed militants were neutralized during ‘Operation Keller’, a meticulously coordinated mission led by the Rashtriya Rifles Unit, based on precise intelligence inputs regarding terrorist movement in the Shoekal Keller area.

“On 13 May 2025, acting on credible and actionable intelligence regarding the presence of terrorists in the general area of Shoekal Keller, Shopian, troops of the Rashtriya Rifles, along with other security agencies, launched a focused search and destroy operation. During the mission, the terrorists initiated unprovoked heavy firing upon the security forces, prompting a fierce exchange of gunfire. In the ensuing firefight, three hardcore terrorists, including Shahid Kuttay, were eliminated,” the army statement read.

Profile of Shahid Kuttay: A Key Militant Commander with a Bloody Trail

Shahid Kuttay had emerged as one of the most notorious and high-ranking militant commanders in recent years, spearheading the activities of TRF — a group operating as a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba to evade international scrutiny. He was deeply involved in multiple high-profile terror incidents, many of which targeted civilians and security personnel alike.

Among the violent acts attributed to Kuttay:

• He orchestrated the attack at Danish Resort on April 8, 2024, during which two German tourists and a local driver sustained injuries in an armed assault intended to undermine tourism and instill fear among foreign nationals visiting Kashmir.
• He was directly involved in the assassination of a BJP sarpanch in Heerpora, Shopian, on May 18, 2024, a killing that underscored TRF’s intent to eliminate democratic representatives and destabilize local governance.
• Additionally, he is suspected to have played a key role in the fatal attack on a Territorial Army (TA) soldier in Behibagh, Kulgam, on February 3, 2025, highlighting his continued aggression against Indian security forces.

Details of the Operation

The operation in Shukroo Keller, an area surrounded by dense forest and hilly terrain — often exploited by militants for cover and mobility — began following specific human and electronic intelligence inputs that indicated the presence of heavily armed terrorists hiding in the region. Security forces swiftly launched a cordon and search operation to locate and neutralize the suspected militants.

As troops began advancing, the terrorists opened fire, initiating a prolonged and intense gun battle. Despite the challenging terrain and hostile conditions, the Indian Army, in coordination with local police and CRPF units, maintained strict contact and executed the operation with tactical precision. By the end of the engagement, three terrorists, including Shahid Kuttay, were eliminated on the spot. The identities of the other two slain militants are being ascertained.

Strategic Significance

The elimination of Shahid Kuttay is being viewed as a major counterterrorism achievement, particularly in the wake of Operation Sindoor, which saw India responding forcefully to terrorist attacks with precision strikes on terror infrastructure across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Officials believe that neutralizing a key TRF commander like Kuttay not only disrupts the group’s ongoing operations but also serves as a strong deterrent against future cross-border terror activities. His death comes at a time when Indian security agencies are intensifying counter-insurgency efforts in the Kashmir Valley, aiming to dismantle what remains of active terror networks.

Further investigations and search operations are ongoing in the area to ensure no other militants are present and to recover weapons, communication devices, and other materials of intelligence value.

This encounter, much like others in recent weeks, underlines India’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism and reaffirms the government’s resolve to eliminate all threats to national security, especially those emanating from across the border.