How Pahalgam terrorist's reliance on technology sealed their fate

India Today

9 hours ago

After the April 22 Pahalgam massacre, in which 26 civilians were gunned down, the three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists responsible vanished into the unforgiving mountains of South Kashmir.The Baisaran bloodbath triggered one of the biggest manhunts launched by security forces, with multiple teams spreading out from Baisaran, trekking deep into the wilderness — kilometre after kilometre — but to no avail. Given the challenging terrain, finding the three terrorists in the area was like looking for a needle in a haystack. The trio trekked for days, then weeks, and eventually months, disappearing deep into the Dachigam–Harwan forests — a remote stretch with almost no mobile network coverage, a dense canopy that blocks aerial sightlines, and a long history of providing refuge to militants.advertisementFor security agencies, this was not just a manhunt — it was a race against terrain, technology, and time. Hopes began to fade despite multiple cordon-and-search operations launched to track down the perpetrators. But a glimmer of hope emerged from the satellite phone carried by the terrorists. The flickering signal was definitive proof that the trio was still in the Kashmir Valley and had not exfiltrated back to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
From the outset, the terrorists — Suleman Shah, Abu Hamza, and Yasir Jibran — ensured they stayed beyond the reach of conventional surveillance. They carried no regular mobile phones that could be traced through telecom towers. Instead, they used a Huawei satellite phone connected to the Inmarsat4 F1 network, allowing them to send encrypted messages directly to handlers in Pakistan without ever touching an Indian network.According to high-level sources, 'On the slain terrorists' bodies were found three Motorola Android devices with the Alpine Quest navigation app installed — an offline app that provides access to detailed topographic maps.' This allowed them to navigate confidently through unfamiliar jungle terrain without relying on mobile data or GPS networks.Intelligence sources revealed that the app was used not just for navigation, but also to monitor the locations of security force installations — helping the terrorists maintain a safe distance from patrol zones. Radio communication was kept to a minimum, limited to short bursts, typically late at night, making early interception nearly impossible.The first major breakthrough came in the third week of May, when the Intelligence Bureau and the Army's signal units managed to partially fix the location of the 'ultra set' — the satellite phone. Even this was a significant challenge. The dense forest canopy, high ridgelines, and deep valleys of Dachigam created natural blind spots that absorbed and deflected signals. Recognising the limitations, the Ministry of Home Affairs deployed three advanced RF surveillance devices capable of detecting faint radio frequencies in signal-shadow zones.Simultaneously, human intelligence inputs began to flow. The intelligence grid received credible tip-offs about the terrorists' movement inside Dachigam — information later confirmed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a briefing to Parliament. Security personnel, equipped with indigenous RF scanners, began tracking fleeting pings from the satellite phone. With upgraded equipment on the ground, the signal hunt intensified. Triangulation from multiple elevated positions gradually narrowed the suspected hideout area to just six square kilometres — still dense forest, but now a manageable search zone.advertisementWith this intelligence in hand, 24 Rashtriya Rifles, responsible for the region, assessed the need for enhanced firepower given the operational complexity. In consultation with the General Officer Commanding, 4 PARA was brought in to lead the strike. Concurrently, the intelligence unit activated one of its most trusted human assets to penetrate the jungle. The operative returned with vital last-mile intelligence, including specific details of the terrorists' movements and temporary shelters.Once this information reached the operations room, it took just 36 hours to close the net.On July 25, the last satellite phone activity was logged. The cordon-and-search operation began shortly afterward. On July 28, deep inside the Dachigam–Harwan belt, contact was made. The firefight that ensued was brief but decisive. All three terrorists — Suleman Shah, Abu Hamza, and Yasir Jibran — were neutralised. According to sources, each was eliminated with precise headshots, with no more than five to six bullets used in total.Among the recoveries were the Huawei satellite phone, the Motorola devices with Alpine Quest, ropes, steel cups, wire cutters, and a camphor-like inflammable substance — all pointing to meticulous long-term jungle survival planning. The weapons seized — two AK47 rifles and one M4 carbine — were later forensically matched to shell casings recovered from the Baisaran massacre site, conclusively confirming that the men killed in Operation Mahadev were indeed the perpetrators of one of the year's most horrific terror attacks.- EndsTune InMust Watch