A successful anti-terror operation that led to the elimination of a high-profile terrorist commander in Jammu and Kashmir was marked not only by strategic planning but also unconventional solutions.Senior officials highlighted the importance of coming up with unique solutions that mitigated the challenges faced during the operation against Usman, a commander of the Pakistan-based terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Usman was killed on Saturday in a day-long encounter in the densely-populated Khanyar locality of downtown Srinagar, marking the first significant gunfight in the summer capital in more than two years.
The operation involved a joint effort from the local police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The officials said Usman, who was well familiar with the Valley terrain, was a significant figure in orchestrating numerous terror attacks since his initial activity in the early 2000s.
After a stint in Pakistan, he infiltrated back into the region around 2016-17 and was implicated in the shooting of police inspector Masroor Wani in October 2023.
Wani was shot dead from close range while playing cricket.
When intelligence indicated Usman’s presence in a residential area, a meticulous nine-hour planning phase ensued to ensure the operation’s success without collateral damage.
Coming up with a novel approach to prevent the target being alerted as the security forces approached him, the entire deployment — including cordoning off a cluster of 30 homes — was done before Fajar (pre-dawn prayers).