Operation Keller – Counter-Terror Success in Kashmir

1. On May 13–14, 2025, the Indian Army, with support from J&K Police and CRPF, launched Operation Keller in Shopian district, South Kashmir.
2. The operation led to the neutralisation of three terrorists, including Shahid Kuttay, the chief of The Resistance Front (TRF) and the mastermind of the Pahalgam terror attack.
3. TRF is considered a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a banned, Pakistan-backed terror group.
4. This is seen as a major blow to terrorist networks operating in the Kashmir Valley.
    

What Is Operation Keller?
 

1. A targeted counter-terror mission launched in the dense forests of Shoekal Keller in Shopian.
2. Based on intelligence inputs from Rashtriya Rifles, a unit specialising in counter-insurgency operations.
3. The area was sealed off by the Army and paramilitary forces, leading to a brief but intense gunfight.
4. All three terrorists were killed, and the operation was still ongoing as of May 14.
    

Background of the Attack
 

1. Shahid Kuttay was the top commander of TRF, a known proxy of LeT, and the key planner behind the Pahalgam massacre, which killed 26 civilians in a public space earlier in 2025.
2. His elimination removes a key figure in Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir.
3. This was the second major anti-terror encounter in Kashmir in 2025:
   • The first was on March 16, when a Pakistani terrorist was killed by J&K Police in the Handwara forests, 100 km north of Srinagar.

Strategic and Security Context
 

1. Operation Keller comes shortly after Operation Sindoor (May 7, 2025), under which:
   1. The Indian Air Force carried out airstrikes on 9 terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan.
   2. This was in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, signaling a strong Indian response.
2. Both operations are part of India’s broader strategy to counter cross-border terrorism.
    

About the Rashtriya Rifles (RR)
 

1. A special counter-insurgency force under the Ministry of Defence, formed in 1990.
2. Draws powers from the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990 (AFSPA).
3. Known as the Indian Army’s “specialist elite force to combat insurgency”.
4. Headquartered in Udhampur under Northern Command, led by an Additional Director General (ADG RR).

About Shopian District

1. Located in southern Kashmir, bordered by Pulwama, Anantnag, Kulgam, and the Pir Panjal range.
2. Altitude: 2,146 metres, with harsh winters (down to −7°C).
3. Historical trade route via the Mughal Road linking Lahore and Srinagar.
4. Granted district status in 2007.
5. Economy is horticulture-based, especially known for apple orchards.
6. The name Shopian may derive from:
   • “Shah-payan” (royal stay), or
   • “Shin-van” (snow forest).

Broader Implications for Internal Security
 

1. Strengthens India’s case globally against Pakistan’s support to terrorism.
2. Demonstrates the effectiveness of pre-emptive strikes (e.g., Operation Sindoor) and post-attack precision operations (like Keller).
3. Signals a shift to proactive, fast-response counter-terror strategy in Kashmir.