Pahalgam terror attack mastermind killed in Srinagar encounter, says Indian Army

The operation, codenamed Operation Mahadev, was launched in the Lidwas area near Dara, close to the Dachigam National Park, based on specific intelligence inputs.
Image for Representation
Image for RepresentationX/@chinarcorps
Written by:
Published on

Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.

Three terrorists, including Suleiman Shah, the alleged mastermind of the deadly April 22 Pahalgam attack, were killed by security forces on Monday, July 28, during a joint anti-terror operation by security forces on the outskirts of Srinagar.

The operation, codenamed Operation Mahadev, was launched in the Lidwas area near Dara, close to the Dachigam National Park, based on specific intelligence inputs. Teams from the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police carried out the mission, officials said.

The Chinar Corps of the Indian Army confirmed the killings in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation continues.”

While official confirmation on the identities is awaited, according to reports, one of the slain militants is Suleiman Shah, also known by his alias Hashim Moosa. He has been on the run since the April attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 people, most of them tourists.

Suleiman Shah was reportedly a former operative in the Pakistan Army and associated with the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Following the Pahalgam massacre, Jammu and Kashmir Police had announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for information. He was believed to be hiding in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district after carrying out the deadly attack against civilians.

The top cop of Kashmir, IGP Vidhi Kumar Birdi, told the media that the operation was still ongoing in the high reaches of Lidwas and that official identification of the deceased militants would take time.

“It is a prolonged operation and is still continuing in which J&K police, paramilitary and army have an exchange of fire (with terrorists) in higher reaches. As per the interior reports, three bodies are being observed and seem to be neutralised,” the IGP said.

Subscriber Picks

No stories found.
The News Minute
www.thenewsminute.com