Policeman Martyred in Anantnag Attack as Lashkar Proxy Claims Responsibility

SRINAGAR - A Jammu and Kashmir Police constable was martyred after terrorists opened fire on a police party in Anantnag on Wednesday, marking a significant escalation in the Valley's security situation as the CJP youth protests continue to roil the rest of India .

🚨🇮🇳 BREAKING

An attack near an Indian Army and police joint checkpoint in Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, with reports of at least two personnel killed.

Another false flag by India to divert attention from Gen Z CJP protests, where Indian Army opened fire on civilians. pic.twitter.com/nOJnm7phXH

- Zard si Gana (@ZardSi) July 22, 2026

The attack occurred around 12:30 PM at Lal Chowk in Anantnag when a bike-borne terrorist fired at Head Constable Aashiq Hussain Qureshi, 35, who was on patrolling duty . The 3rd Battalion India Reserve (IR) personnel was rushed to Government Medical College Hospital but was declared dead on arrival .

First Major Strike Since Pahalgam

The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack through a social media post . The incident is being viewed as the first major terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir since last year's Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people . Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a massive search operation to trace the assailant .

CJP Protests Overwhelm India's Political Landscape

The attack comes as India's Gen Z youth continue their massive protests in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET exam paper leak scandal . Thousands of students and supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) have been protesting at Jantar Mantar, with the movement amassing 22 million Instagram followers .

Key Demands:

• Education Minister's resignation

• Justice for 2.2M+ students affected by paper leaks 

• Overhaul of India's education system

The Indian Army has issued a fact check rejecting social media claims alleging Army deployment against protesters in Delhi, stating that "demonstrations were being handled exclusively by Delhi Police and other designated law enforcement agencies" . The Army described the viral claims as "fabricated disinformation intended to create panic and tarnish the image of the armed forces" .

In a related development, a Rajya Sabha MP from the BJP was found amplifying an AI-generated image and fake quote claiming that activist Sonam Wangchuk had voluntarily sought police help for medical attention . Fact-checkers confirmed the image of police officer "Shivani Chaudhary" was generated with 99% confidence by AI detection tools .

Despite police crackdowns, including 12 FIRs against 1,000+ protestors in Mumbai and WhatsApp notices served in the early hours, the youth-led movement continues to grow . A march to Parliament was held on July 20, drawing thousands of supporters .