New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced in the Lok Sabha today that the three terrorists responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 innocent lives, were neutralized in a decisive security operation. The successful mission, codenamed Operation Mahadev, was carried out by a joint team of the Army, CRPF, and Jammu & Kashmir Police.
Terrorists Identified and Neutralized:
The slain militants were identified as Suleiman, a top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, along with Afghani and Gibran—both classified as “A-list” terrorists. Shah emphasized that concrete evidence linked them to the brutal Pahalgam ambush.
“The nation should know that the killers of our citizens in Baisaran Valley have been eliminated,” Shah declared, lauding the security forces for their precision and bravery.
How the Operation Unfolded:
Shah revealed that after the Pahalgam attack, security agencies ensured the terrorists could not flee to Pakistan. Intelligence inputs on May 22 indicated their presence in Dachigam near Srinagar. Using advanced surveillance, agencies intercepted their communications before launching Operation Mahadev on July 22.
Forensic Proof Links Terrorists to Attack:
To confirm their involvement, the NIA relied on:
– Eyewitness accounts from arrested shelter providers who identified the bodies.
– Ballistic analysis—weapons seized from the terrorists (an M9 and two AK-47s) were flown to Chandigarh’s forensic lab. Test-fired shells matched those recovered from Pahalgam.
– Pakistani evidence—voter ID details of two terrorists and made-in-Pakistan chocolates found on them.
“Six forensic scientists verified the 100% match. There is no doubt,”* Shah asserted, waving the ballistic report in Parliament.
Political Sparring Over Proof:
Shah criticized opposition leaders, particularly former Home Minister P. Chidambaram, for questioning the terrorists’ Pakistani origins. “Why shield Pakistan? We have their voter IDs, their chocolates—yet some want to give them a clean chit,” he said, sparking protests from opposition benches.
The Home Minister also highlighted that two local accomplices who harbored the terrorists were arrested, reaffirming the government’s zero-tolerance stance on terror.
With Operation Mahadev, India sends a strong message: those targeting its citizens will face justice.
