Pahalgam mastermind among 3 killed in Operation Mahadev
Dachigam National Park
in Harwan on the outskirts of Srinagar.
The Army launched '
Operation Mahadev
' in the early hours of Monday and later reported the recovery of three bodies from the encounter site. A senior J&K police official told ET that the group was led by 'Sulaiman', who was allegedly involved in the
Pahalgam massacre
. "
Sulaiman
and two others were killed in this encounter. He was involved in the Pahalgam attack," the official said.
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The armed forces are expected to formally brief the media on the operation on Tuesday. However, there has been no official confirmation yet on the identity or involvement of the three suspected infiltrators.
In the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam 25 tourists and one local were killed by unidentified gunmen from point blank range on April 22, this year, which triggered a mini war between India and Pakistan in May.
"Contact established in General Area Lidwas...Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation Continues," Srinagar based
Chinar Corps of the Army
had informed. Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma complimented the forces for the swift and precise execution of the infiltrators.
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The army officials have informally shared pictures of the three bodies, with bullet wounds in their heads. They informed that a US carbine, AK-47 rifles and other ammunition has been recovered from the three suspects. However, the identity of the trio is yet to be officially disclosed. "The identification of the neutralised terrorists is being done. Please await further details," J&K police informed on X. The army and police have also not issued any official statement about the connection of this group with the Pahalgam attack but the investigation continues.
"Three
Pakistani terrorists
have been eliminated in Dachigam area and police will share details of the operation. Such kinetic operations have been happening for several months now and I congratulate the forces for this success," Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha told reporters on the sidelines of a function.
Earlier, on April 12, three foreign infiltrators were killed in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar and the army sais an AK rifle, an M4 Rifle and other equipment were recovered from the spot. The officials claimed that a top Jaish-e-Muhammad commander was killed in that encounter.
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Indian Express
14 minutes ago
- Indian Express
2 satellite phone signals 17 days apart, help from nomads, and a peak named Mahadev – inside the operation that killed 3 Pahalgam terrorists
It was the detection of a signal emitted from a Chinese satellite phone used by the Pahalgam attackers on Saturday – the second time in the last 17 days – that led the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police to them on Mulnar Peak near Lidwas Meadow of Mahadev Peak, a strategically important location in Zabarwan range, Dachigam forests, on the outskirts of Srinagar town. The satellite phone was among various items, including arms, ammunition and explosives, later seized from the slain terrorists, who Home Minister Amit Shah said are the same as the ones who killed 26 civilians on April 22. According to highly placed sources, the men had also used the satellite phone on July 11 in the Baisaran area. Since then, multiple teams of the Army and the police had been looking for them, even during the night, which forced them to keep changing their locations. On Saturday, when security forces and the police detected the satellite phone signal from the Mahadev Peak area, they immediately launched what security agencies would later call Op Mahadev. The signal was tracked to the Dachigam area, which has the nearest human habitation nearly 30 kilometres away at Chak Dara. While Baisaran in Anantnag district and Dachigam forests in Srinagar are nearly 120 kilometres away by road, their distance through the forest is around 40-50 kilometres, with Aru Wildlife Sanctuary falling in between. In a meticulously planned and swift operation, security forces and the police, based on information provided by local nomads about the area, took on the terrorists who were caught unawares, resting under a makeshift tent around 11.30 am Monday, sources said. The ensuing fierce gunfight lasted nearly three hours, and the Army and police managed to kill all three men – top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Suleiman Shah, who had undergone training at LeT's Muridkee terror headquarters, Hamza Afghani and Jibran, all Pakistani nationals. Jibran, sources said, was also involved in the killing of six people working on the construction of Z-Morh tunnel at Gaganeer on the Srinagar-Leh national highway in Ganderbal district in October last year. Fully aware that the terrorists are likely high-value targets, authorities took their time to confirm their identities. For this, they checked with family members of those killed in Pahalgam's Baisaran Valley on April 22, as well as two jailed locals – Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar – who allegedly harboured the terrorists at their seasonal dhok at Hill Park area. Shah also detailed how their identities were confirmed: 'Yesterday's operation saw the death of three who killed our citizens… NIA had kept those who helped these terrorists in custody, and they confirmed that these three were the ones who conducted the terror attack in Pahalgam. We didn't believe this either. Cartridges recovered at the site of attack were analysed, and a ballistic report was prepared. Three rifles were recovered yesterday – one M9 American rifle and two AK-47s. These rifles were sent to Chandigarh, and the cartridges were matched. Then, it was fixed that these three rifles were used to kill our people.'
News18
39 minutes ago
- News18
Low On Supplies & Water, Fear Of Exposure: How Pahalgam Terrorists Were Traced, Tracked, Killed
Last Updated: Intelligence inputs revealed that the terrorists were receiving logistical support—including food and supplies—from local sympathisers who have since been intercepted After the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, since May, multiple units of the Indian Army, Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF, and Jammu & Kashmir Police have been deployed to high-altitude areas ranging from 5,000 to 13,000 feet. There were several instances where groups of terrorists were detected through intercepted communication sets. However, these sets often went silent before security forces could act on them effectively. To intensify the operation, Tactical Operating Bases (TOBs) were established across various strategic locations. Senior-level officers were stationed at these bases to coordinate and oversee the efforts until the region was cleared of terrorists hiding in the upper reaches of J&K. According to sources, specialised teams were formed, combining manual efforts with advanced technical surveillance systems to trace, track, and intercept terrorist movements. A senior intelligence officer was appointed to lead the input coordination, as confirmed by top sources in the intelligence community. Intelligence inputs revealed that the terrorists were receiving logistical support—including food and supplies—from local sympathisers who have since been intercepted. Security forces also identified and restricted access to water sources being used by the terrorists. One particular area around Dachigam was cordoned off by security forces, who began collecting more detailed intelligence regarding the terrorists' weapons, food supplies, and movement patterns. It was noticed that the terrorists were low on supplies, afraid of moving out, and under pressure to expose themselves. Several of their communication sets were successfully intercepted during this period. Roughly a week ago, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) received a critical tip-off from its cultivated assets indicating that a group of terrorists was hiding in the Dachigam area. Their identities were confirmed through both technical and human intelligence inputs. Based on intercepted communications, the search zone was narrowed down to a 1-kilometre radius. Ultimately, a surgical operation led by Para Special Forces neutralised three top terrorists: Suleman, alias Faizal Bhatt, Jibran, and Afghan. Suleman was a senior operative affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). All three were classified as A-grade terrorists. 'In joint Operation Mahadev, the Indian Army, CRPF, and J&K Police have neutralised three terrorists who were involved in the Pahalgam terror attack," union home minister Amit Shah said in Parliament on Tuesday. 'We have their voter ID numbers. The rifles and cartridges used were made in Pakistan." Providing more details, he said, 'All three terrorists—Suleman, Afghan, and Jibran—were killed in yesterday's operation. The people who used to supply food to them were detained earlier. Once the bodies of these terrorists were brought to Srinagar, they were identified by those who were kept detained by our agencies." view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
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First Post
44 minutes ago
- First Post
Amit Shah explains why NIA is probing Pahalgam attack case: A conviction rate of 96% in terror case
Operation Sindoor debate: Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed anti-terror investigation agency, the NIA, while giving details of the killing of Pahalgam attackers in the Lok Sabha. Shah said the NIA has attained a conviction rate of 96 per cent. read more Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks during a debate in the Lok Sabha on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, at the Monsoon session of Parliament, in New Delhi. PTI India's Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday explained the rationale behind entrusting the investigation of the Pahalgam terror attack to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) saying that the agency's exceptional conviction rate and proven capabilities in handling terrorism-related cases made it the most appropriate choice. Twenty-six people, most of them being tourists, were massacred in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam at a popular meadow by Pakistani terrorists on April 22. The terror attack sparked international outrage as terrorists chose their victims by ascertaining their religious identities. The victims were male, ensuring that they were killed while women accompanying them watched on helplessly. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Shah was speaking in the Lok Sabha during the parliamentary debate on Operation Sindoor, the military campaign India launched in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack to dismantle infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan. The strikes led to a four-day India-Pakistan military clash. During his speech, Shah confirmed that the three Pakistani terrorists who carried out the Pahalgam terror attack were neutralised by the Indian security forces on Monday, the first day of the parliamentary debate on Operation Sindoor. The identities of the slain terrorists and their connection with the Pahalgam attack were ascertained through due forensic processes, Shah told the lower house of Parliament. He said, 'We now have proof that they were Pakistanis and were involved in the Pahalgam terror attack.' The terror case is being probed by the NIA. NIA's conviction rate key to the decision The Union home minister pointed to the NIA's extraordinary conviction rate of over 96 per cent in terrorism cases as a central reason for assigning the sensitive Pahalgam probe to the agency. Shah said, 'I would also like to say a little about the NIA investigation. The day Lashkar-e-Taiba and its affiliate TRF claimed responsibility, we immediately decided that the investigation would be handed over to the NIA. 'Because the NIA is a globally recognised agency that specialises in scientifically investigating terrorism cases and securing convictions, with a conviction rate of over 96 per cent. We handed the investigation to the NIA immediately.' Earlier in December 2024, a Press Information Bureau release from the Ministry of Home Affairs last December, of the 147 cases where trials had concluded, 140 resulted in convictions, bringing the overall conviction rate to approximately 95.23 per cent. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Shah made it clear that this feat is not just a numerical achievement but an endorsement of the NIA's rigorous investigative methods and legal preparedness. He also highlighted how the agency consistently secures justice in complex cases through structured prosecutions and detailed forensic and financial investigations. A landmark year for NIA The NIA's 2024 performance was described by agency officials as one of its most successful years. The NIA data show that the agency achieved a 100 per cent conviction rate in all completed terror trials in 2024. It got conviction from courts for 68 accused in 25 cases and filed charge-sheets against 408 individuals across 80 newly registered cases. The agency arrested 210 people across a variety of crimes, including Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), North East insurgency, jihadi terrorism and human trafficking. LWE cases dominated the entire lot, with 28 cases registered and 69 arrests made. The data show the agency's increasing role in managing not just religiously motivated terrorism but also insurgency and organised criminal networks that threaten national stability. Dismantling financial and logistical ecosystems Another factor believed to have influenced the home ministry's decision was the NIA's record in disrupting the financial and logistical structures that support terrorism. The agency attached 137 properties worth Rs 19.57 crore under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act during 2024. These actions were aimed at striking at the operational core of various groups by choking off their funding and material support. Shah viewed such capabilities as essential in the Pahalgam investigation, where dismantling support networks was as important as identifying the attackers. Quick turnaround in high-profile cases The agency has also demonstrated rapid response capabilities. In 2024, the NIA filed a charge-sheet against the Pakistan-based chief of Babbar Khalsa International, Wadhawa Singh and five others within months of the assassination of VHP leader Vikas Prabhakar in Punjab. In another instance, it secured the conviction of four terrorists, including Kulwinderjeet Singh alias Khanpuria, in a terror conspiracy case involving multiple attacks across Delhi and Punjab in the 1990s. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Such swift and effective actions were seen by the home ministry as reinforcing the NIA's operational credibility, making it a natural choice for high-stakes cases like the Pahalgam attack. Structural strength and technical expertise According to a statement tabled in the Rajya Sabha in December 2024 by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, the NIA has significantly expanded its organisational capacity in recent years. Since 2019, the government has created 810 new posts, including senior leadership roles and technical experts in cyber forensics. The agency now operates 24 offices across India and has been allocated 105 specialist posts to support investigations in areas like cyber terrorism and explosives. The establishment of the National Terror Data Fusion & Analysis Centre (NTDFAC) has also enhanced its ability to use big data analytics and digital forensics, thereby improving both speed and accuracy in investigations. Coordination with state and global agencies The NIA has also increased coordination with domestic and international agencies. It organised 36 Capacity Building Training Programmes and 19 similar sessions in collaboration with foreign organisations between 2019 and 2024, training thousands of officers, the PIB release said. This increased collaboration strengthens the NIA's capability to investigate transnational terror networks relevant in cases like Pahalgam, where cross-border involvement is suspected.
