New Delhi: The two terror attacks in the Kashmir Valley last month, after a period of relative lull, are suspected to have been carried out by a 21-year-old local terrorist affiliated with The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy, recruited by Pakistan-based designated terrorist Sajjad Gul, ThePrint has learnt.
According to sources in the security establishment, Mohammed Lateef Bhat was a local carpenter who went missing from his home in Kulgam in November 2025 and subsequently joined the terror outfit. “Sajjad’s wife was staying in Kulgam and put Lateef in touch with him. Lateef was also in touch with Zakir Ahmad Ganie, who was killed in an encounter in Shopian in July,” a source said.
According to the source, Lateef was trained in the higher reaches of Kulgam and Shopian and then inducted into the TRF.
On 24 July, a 35-year-old Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) personnel deployed as part of the security contingent for the Amarnath Yatra was shot dead. CCTV footage showed the suspected attacker carrying an AK-47. The Resistance Fighters, suspected to be a front of TRF, later claimed responsibility for the attack.
A week later, on 31 July, two migrant workers from Chhattisgarh were killed in another attack in Kulgam.
According to sources, both attacks were carried out by Mohammed Lateef Bhat.
‘A carpenter, college dropout’
According to police records, Bhat studied up to Class 8 at Public English Medium School, Bhan, and Class 12 at Government Higher Secondary School, Ashmuji.
He later enrolled at Government Degree College, Kulgam, but dropped out of college and took up work as a carpenter at a beading-machine unit in Khrewan.
“He went missing from his residence and did not return. Despite extensive efforts, his family was unable to trace him and subsequently approached police station Kulgam to lodge a missing report. Accordingly, a missing report vide DD No. 09 dated 19.11.2025 was registered at police station Kulgam,” a source said.
Sources said Bhat subsequently joined the TRF, allegedly under the influence of terrorist Zakir Ahmad Ganie of Motalhama.
Security forces are now conducting searches to trace Bhat. More than 2,000 people have been questioned across districts, a second source said. Adding, “As per available inputs, his movement has not been observed in district Kulgam. However, there are reports indicating his recent presence in district Anantnag. Search operations are on across districts.”
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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