Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that all three terrorists behind the gruesome Pahalgam terror attack have been neutralised by Indian security forces. Identified as Suleman (alias Asif), Jibran, and Hamza Afghani—all Pakistani nationals affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba—the trio was gunned down in a high-intensity encounter by Army para commandos on the outskirts of Srinagar.
“Justice has been served,” Shah declared during a debate on Operation Sindoor, a counterterrorism offensive launched in response to the April 22 massacre at Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam, which left 26 civilians, including Hindu and Christian tourists, dead.
According to officials, the Army launched Operation Mahadev after intercepting satellite phone signals linked to the Pahalgam attackers. The elite 4 Para unit and personnel from the 24 Rashtriya Rifles located the group in a forested area, leading to a prolonged firefight.
Among the slain was Suleman, believed to be the mastermind of the Pahalgam killings. His associate Jibran was also allegedly involved in the deadly attack on the Sonamarg Tunnel project in October last year, where seven, including a doctor, were killed. The third terrorist, Hamza Afghani, was also a key operative.
During the operation, security forces recovered one M4 carbine rifle, two AK rifles, and other munitions. The terrorists’ bodies have been handed over to the local police for identification and further formalities as per standard procedures.
Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone), V K Birdi, confirmed the success of the long-drawn encounter, while the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation continues.”
Additional reinforcements have been deployed amid inputs about more terrorists in the vicinity, as the forces continue their crackdown on cross-border terror infrastructure.
