{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Lashkar Commander Hashim Musa Killed in Budgam Encounter 24 Days After Escaping Injured",
  "summary": "Security forces eliminated Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Hashim Musa in an encounter in Gurwaithkalan, Budgam. Musa, who had escaped injured on September 5, was tracked down and killed in Operation Korang on September 29.",
  "content": "Security forces achieved a significant breakthrough in Jammu and Kashmir by neutralizing Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Hashim Musa in a joint operation in Budgam district. The counter-terror operation brought an end to a 24-day manhunt for the terrorist, who had sustained bullet injuries in an earlier engagement on September 5 but managed to slip away into hideouts. While his associate Yasir was eliminated during that earlier encounter, Musa evaded capture until forces tracked him down and cornered him in Gurwaithkalan on September 29.\n\nThe September 5 Engagement and Musa's Escape\nOn September 5, security personnel cordoned off a location following intelligence inputs, leading to a fierce exchange of gunfire with terrorists. Hashim Musa was struck by bullets during the firefight, while his fellow militant, Yasir, was neutralized on the spot by the forces. Taking advantage of the dense terrain and darkness, an injured Musa fled the cordon before the perimeter could be fully tightened.\n\nFollowing his escape, Musa went deep underground, constantly shifting locations to evade detection. To investigators, he appeared to have vanished without a trace, prompting security agencies to launch an extensive search effort. The primary objective was unraveling the covert support network, logistic channels, and safe houses that were facilitating his movement while nursing his injuries.\n\nIntelligence Lead at Gurwaithkalan and Operation Korang\nThe breakthrough came on Tuesday, September 29, when security agencies received actionable intelligence regarding the presence of terrorists in the Gurwaithkalan area of Budgam. Acting swiftly on the information, a joint cordon was thrown around the suspect location by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the CRPF. As search teams closed in on the hideout, they observed suspicious movement, establishing contact with the trapped militants.\n\nForces issued surrender calls, giving the terrorists an opportunity to lay down their arms. The militants responded by opening indiscriminate fire on the search teams, triggering an intense retaliatory gunfight. In the ensuing exchange, Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Hashim Musa was killed. The Indian Army's Chinar Corps confirmed the details of the engagement, noting that the joint cordon and search mission launched in the Korang area of Yousmarg was codenamed 'Operation Korang.' Reinforcements were deployed following the firefight to sustain an extensive sanitization operation across the vicinity.\n\nNeutralization of the Four-Member Lashkar Cell Active Since 2022\nHashim Musa's elimination marks the culmination of a targeted campaign against a dedicated four-member Lashkar-e-Taiba cell that had been active in Jammu and Kashmir since 2022. The group comprised Abu Talha, Suleman, Junaid Ahmad, and Hashim Musa. Security agencies had tracked the module for months due to their continuous attempts to destabilize peace across the valley.\n\nThe first major breakthrough against this cell occurred in December 2024, when security forces eliminated Junaid Ahmad in an encounter. A mobile phone recovered from Junaid's possession contained a crucial photograph featuring all four terrorists together. That digital evidence provided intelligence agencies with actionable insights into the operational links, internal structure, and identities of the cadre belonging to the network.\n\nSystematic Rollback of the Entire Terror Group\nFollowing the recovery of intelligence from Junaid, security agencies systematically tracked the remaining operatives of the module. In April 2025, forces cornered and neutralized Abu Talha. Later, in September 2026, Yasir was gunned down in the September 5 engagement that left Musa wounded. With Musa's death on September 29 in Budgam after nearly three and a half weeks on the run, security forces confirmed that all four core terrorists associated with the 2022 Lashkar cell have now been eliminated.\n\nWhat this means for you\nThe neutralization of the Lashkar commander delivers a significant blow to terror networks in the valley and bolsters regional stability.\n\n• Across India: The elimination of this module demonstrates sustained pressure against terror outfits operating across borders. It reinforces the operational capability of joint security forces in tracking down fugitives regardless of time.\n• In Jammu and Kashmir: Residents and business owners in Budgam and Yousmarg witness a reduction in localized militant threats. Neutralizing a cell active since 2022 mitigates the risk of coordinated disruptions in the region.\n• Security and Transit: Area sanitization and increased security cordons around Gurwaithkalan mean stricter identity checks for commuters. Local residents traveling through adjoining belts should anticipate heightened security presence and checkpoints.\n• Intelligence Coordination: The success highlights effective synergy between the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and CRPF. Actionable intelligence sharing directly limits the operational lifespan of underground operatives.\n\nWhy this happened\nLashkar-e-Taiba commander Hashim Musa was neutralized in Gurwaithkalan, Budgam, after security forces acted on actionable intelligence regarding his presence. He had been hiding since escaping injured from an encounter on September 5.\n\n• Direct Trigger: Joint teams received specific intelligence on September 29 about militants hiding in Gurwaithkalan. When asked to surrender, the militants opened fire, provoking a lethal response that killed Musa.\n• September 5 Escape: Musa had been shot and wounded during a firefight 24 days earlier in which his associate Yasir died. Musa slipped out under the cover of darkness and difficult terrain, triggering an intensive manhunt.\n• Cell Background Since 2022: The operative belonged to a four-member Lashkar-e-Taiba module active in the region since 2022. The recovery of a phone with a group photo from slain terrorist Junaid Ahmad in December 2024 exposed the network to intelligence agencies.\n• Sequential Neutralization: Forces previously eliminated Abu Talha in April 2025 and Yasir in September 2026. The death of Hashim Musa marked the complete eradication of this specific cell, prompting ongoing sanitization sweeps in the area.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Who was Hashim Musa?\nHashim Musa was a Lashkar-e-Taiba commander and part of a four-terrorist module active in Jammu and Kashmir since 2022.\n\n2. How did Hashim Musa escape on September 5?\nDespite sustaining a gunshot wound, Musa managed to flee under cover of darkness and terrain during the September 5 encounter in which his associate Yasir was killed.\n\n3. Where and in which operation was Musa eliminated?\nMusa was killed on September 29 in Gurwaithkalan, Budgam, during a joint operation codenamed 'Operation Korang' by the Army, police, and CRPF.\n\n4. How did security forces gather key intelligence on this Lashkar cell?\nIn December 2024, forces recovered a phone containing a joint photo of the four militants from slain terrorist Junaid Ahmad, uncovering the module's structure.\n\n5. Who were the members of this four-terrorist module?\nThe module comprised Abu Talha, Suleman, Junaid Ahmad, and Hashim Musa, all of whom have now been neutralized in separate security operations.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/national/budgam-ke-gurwaithkalan-men-surakshabalon-ne-lashkar-kamandara-hashim-musa-ko-kiya-dhera-24-dina-pahale-goli-khakara-bhaga-tha-atn-40347",
  "category": "India",
  "publishedAt": "2026-09-30",
  "tags": [
    "Hashim Musa",
    "Budgam Encounter",
    "Lashkar-e-Taiba",
    "Operation Korang",
    "Jammu Kashmir Police",
    "Chinar Corps"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}