New Delhi: Security agencies are conducting a detailed forensic examination of the weapons recovered from the three terrorists neutralised in Srinagar’s Dachigam forest area on Monday. The investigation aims to establish a conclusive link between the assailants and the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives.
Among the arms seized at the encounter site were one M4 carbine rifle, two AK-series rifles, and assorted ammunition. Forensic teams are now analysing cartridges and ballistic evidence to determine whether the weapons were used during the Pahalgam assault.
The terrorists were gunned down in a high-stakes encounter led by the Indian Army’s elite para commandos, in coordination with 24 Rashtriya Rifles, following precise intelligence inputs. The operation, codenamed ‘Operation Mahadev’, was initiated after a technical intercept traced a satellite phone signal used by those behind the Pahalgam strike.
Officials identified the slain terrorists as:
• Suleiman Shah, alias Hashim Musa — believed to be the mastermind of the Pahalgam attack,
• Jibran — allegedly involved in last year’s Sonamarg tunnel attack, and
• Hamza Afghani — another high-value LeT operative.
Sources said that around 11:30 am, Army units detected the movement of the terror group, leading to a sustained engagement in the forested region near Srinagar’s outskirts. Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone) V.K. Birdi confirmed that the operation was long-drawn and carefully coordinated.
Post-encounter, the bodies of the slain militants were handed over to local police for identification, legal documentation, and burial as per standard operating procedure.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, addressing an event in Jammu, acknowledged the success of the operation.
“Three Pakistani terrorists have been eliminated near Dachigam. Kinetic operations have been ongoing in the region for several months to dismantle the terror infrastructure. The police will release full details,” he said.
Meanwhile, intelligence reports suggest the possibility of additional terrorists hiding in the area, prompting further deployment of reinforcements to ensure complete sanitisation.
The success of Operation Mahadev marks a major step forward in India’s ongoing counter-terrorism campaign and is being seen as a direct blow to cross-border terror networks operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
