New Delhi: In a major breakthrough in India’s ongoing counter-terrorism operations, the three terrorists neutralised during a joint security forces operation in Kashmir’s Dachigam forest—Suleiman Shah, Jibran, and Hamza Afghani—have been positively identified as Pakistani nationals affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday during the debate on ‘Operation Sindoor’, confirmed that all three were directly involved in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
“I would like to inform the House that in ‘Operation Mahadev’, launched after technical intelligence input, three high-value LeT terrorists—Suleiman Shah, Jibran, and Hamza Afghani—were neutralised by the Indian Army, CRPF, and Jammu Police in a joint operation,” Shah told Parliament.
He added that all three were classified as A-grade terrorists.
Suleiman Shah, also known by his alias Hashim Musa, was identified as the mastermind of the Pahalgam attack. Jibran was reportedly linked to the 2023 Sonamarg Tunnel attack, while Hamza Afghani’s real identity was later confirmed to be Hubaib Tahir, a resident of Khaigala in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
According to Shah, ‘Operation Mahadev’ was launched on May 22, following specific intelligence inputs from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) indicating the presence of terrorists in the Dachigam area, based on the interception of a satellite phone used during the Pahalgam attack.
“The Pahalgam attack occurred at 1 PM. I was in Srinagar by 5:30 PM that same day. A high-level security meeting was convened, and steps were taken to ensure the attackers didn’t escape across the border into Pakistan,” Shah said.
Officials revealed that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) brought in previously arrested harbourers from Kot Lakhpat Jail to the encounter site for on-the-spot verification. These harbourers confirmed that the slain terrorists had taken shelter in their Dhok (temporary hideout) earlier.
Following the operation, the bodies of the terrorists were handed over to the local police for identification and legal procedures as per standard operating protocols.
The identification and neutralisation of these militants mark a significant success in India’s offensive against cross-border terrorism and a major blow to LeT’s operational leadership in the Kashmir region.
The Operation Sindoor debate, initiated in Parliament on Monday by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, continues as the government highlights its response to the Pahalgam attack and reiterates its commitment to dismantling Pakistan-backed terror infrastructure.
