Operation Mahadev was a meticulously planned and executed joint counter-terrorism operation by Indian security forces, targeting the three terrorists responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam attack in which 26 innocent civilians were killed in the Baisaran Valley.

The operation took place near Srinagar in the Lidwas area on the outskirts of the city. It involved the Indian Army, including the 24 Rashtriya Rifles and 4 Para units, alongside the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jammu and Kashmir Police.

The operation was launched based on specific intelligence inputs, including intercepted communications and technical signals similar to those used in the Pahalgam attack.

The terrorists killed in this encounter—Suleman (also known as Faizal), Afghani, and Jibran—were all Pakistani nationals and affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Suleman was identified as the mastermind behind the Pahalgam attack, an A-category commander in LeT.

Their involvement was initially indicated by detained local associates who identified the terrorists’ bodies and later was conclusively proven by forensic and ballistic evidence.

The confirmation took extraordinary efforts. After the terrorists were killed, weapons found with them—two AK-47 variants and one M9 (also known as an M4 carbine)—were sent by special Air Force planes to the Chandigarh Forensic Science Laboratory.

Scientists test-fired these weapons and matched the empty bullet casings with those recovered from the Pahalgam attack site, resulting in a 99-100% ballistic match. This forensic confirmation was personally monitored by Union Home Minister Amit Shah overnight via phone and video calls, with six scientists cross-verifying the report to ensure no doubt remained before informing the Parliament.

In addition to forensic confirmation, further intelligence and strategy had prevented the terrorists from escaping back to Pakistan. Home Minister Shah himself went to Kashmir hours after the attack and chaired security meetings directing forces to secure all possible escape routes, including an 8-km path used by infiltrators.

Security forces identified and flooded secret tunnels used by terrorists for ingress and egress, effectively trapping them. For nearly three months, the terrorists were in hiding but failed to escape due to this tight security net, before ultimately being tracked down and neutralized in Operation Mahadev.

The operation demonstrated the coordination and precision of India’s security apparatus, using human intelligence, intercepted communications, drone surveillance, and on-ground special forces conduct to dismantle a key terrorist network.

Following the operation, Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Lok Sabha, confirming the elimination of the three terrorists responsible for the killings in Pahalgam with irrefutable ballistic and forensic proof, sending a clear message of India’s uncompromising stance against terrorism originating from Pakistan-backed groups.

In summary, Operation Mahadev was a decisive, intelligence-driven counterterrorism action that:

Identified and killed the three terrorists involved in the April Pahalgam massacre.
Recovered weapons conclusively matched to those used in the attack by advanced forensic methods.
Prevented their escape through a security strategy involving flooding and blocking infiltration tunnels.
Was personally supervised in forensic confirmation by Home Minister Amit Shah before official parliamentary disclosure.
Marked a significant achievement in India’s ongoing fight against terrorist networks in Jammu and Kashmir.

Based On A NDTV Report