Over 100 Pakistani terrorists active in Jammu and Kashmir, 45 eliminated this year

As central agencies dig deeper into the Delhi Red Fort bomb blast case and expose the terror network across the country, Jammu and Kashmir continues to face the problem of foreign and local terrorists. The existing terror infrastructure poses a challenge for the security forces.

Currently there are about 131 terrorists active in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 122 are Pakistani nationals, while nine are locally groomed terrorists, said sources.

Security forces have so far this year been successful in eradicating 45 terrorists who were active in the region.

The above data where only nine are locally groomed terrorists reveals a shift in the recruitment process. The terrorist organisations are failing to attract local youth and thus have turned towards educated professionals. They are trying to radicalise them and use some as suicide bombers, revealed intelligence sources.

Referred to as “white-collar terrorists,” these recruits maintain very low profile work secretly in facilitating logistics, recruitment, or terror-funding.

This pattern was clearly evident in the Delhi Red Fort bomb blast case. Professionals like doctors were a part of the dastardly attack that killed several persons and left many injured on November 10.

So, for the security forces dismantling the white-collar ecosystem is their utmost priority which is evident in the counter-terror efforts taken by the Centre in the last few years.

According to intelligence inputs 61 terrorists were neutralised in 2024, including 45 in the hinterland and 16 near the Line of Control (LoC). Notably, 21 of them were Pakistani nationals.

The crackdown against terror operators in Jammu and Kashmir has gained further momentum after the November 10 blast Red Fort in Delhi. Investigations have revealed the involvement of J&K-trained terrorists in the “white-collar” terror module.