Srinagar, July 8 (IANS) An unidentified body was recovered on Wednesday by the security forces from the encounter site in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district, while some arms and ammunition were also spotted near the body.

Police said the unidentified body was recovered near the encounter site in the Chanapora area of South Kashmir’s Shopian district. They said fresh gunshots were heard during the ongoing anti-terror operation, following which security forces launched a search operation of the area and recovered the body near the encounter site.

The exact identity of the deceased is being ascertained. “Some arms and ammunition have also been spotted from a distance. The area is being thoroughly searched as part of the ongoing operation,” police added.

The anti-terrorist operation was launched five days ago by the joint security forces following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area.

Security forces had said that two local terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit were believed to be trapped inside the cordoned-off area. The two trapped terrorists had been identified as Latif and Zakir. They opened fire on the approaching Army personnel, triggering a gunfight last Saturday.

Officials said the Army’s specialised counter-insurgency unit, the Victor Force, has deployed additional personnel to plug all possible escape routes through the thick foliage of the orchard, besides lighting up the area. During the summer months, the heavy foliage offers a natural cover, making surveillance difficult and allowing trapped terrorists to exploit blind spots to break the cordons.

According to security records, both the trapped terrorists are residents of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district. While Zakir has reportedly been associated with the LeT since 2024, Latif joined the terror ranks last year.

Shopian in South Kashmir has remained a hotbed for terrorism for a long time.

Earlier this month, a JeM terrorist, Kamran Bhai, was killed in the Kamran area in Shopian, and a LeT terrorist, Bilal Ahmed Bhat, was killed in Chotigam. Bilal was accused of multiple killings, including Army personnel, migrant labourers, and a Kashmiri Pandit.

In May 2025, three TRF terrorists, including commander Shahid Kuttay, were killed in Shopian. Shopian has served as a critical transit corridor connecting South Kashmir to central Kashmir and the Pir Panjal range. Shopian has remained a hotbed for terrorism for a long time.

The dense apple orchards and foliage also give cover, making surveillance difficult. Reports also mention terrorists building underground bunkers in orchards here to escape pursuit.

Intelligence agencies note that containing local operatives in Shopian is vital to disrupting the logistics networks and breaking the cycle of local recruitment.

–IANS

sq/dpb