Srinagar Police confirmed the arrest of an Over Ground Worker (OGW) from South Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Wednesday, in connection with aiding terrorists behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The OGW, identified as 26-year-old Mohd Yousuf Katari, was apprehended following a specific intelligence input, officials stated.

Investigations revealed that Katari had allegedly provided logistical support to the terror module that executed the Pahalgam attack. Such support typically involves arranging shelter, transport, and supplies crucial for sustaining terrorist movements across South Kashmir. Authorities said Katari has been under the scanner for some time, with intelligence inputs linking him to multiple handlers.

The April 22 Pahalgam assault claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists, making it one of the deadliest targeted civilian attacks in the valley in recent years. The attack was orchestrated by a Pakistan-linked module led by Sulieman alias Asif, who was identified as its chief planner. His group carried out the assault aimed at crippling the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir, which has remained a backbone of the region’s economy.

Following the attack, security agencies launched a sustained manhunt, codenamed Operation Mahadev. On July 29, a high-intensity encounter took place on the outskirts of Srinagar where the Army’s elite para commandos neutralised three terrorists, including mastermind Sulieman. The encounter was described as a major success in dismantling the module responsible for the April carnage.

Another terrorist neutralised in the July 29 encounter was Jibran, a longstanding militant who had been directly involved in the October 2024 Sonamarg Tunnel attack.

That assault had targeted Army convoys with a series of IED blasts, showcasing Jibran’s continued operational involvement in high-profile terror strikes. His death marked the collapse of a critical network that had been propagating violence in the region.

Police officials stressed that Katari’s arrest demonstrates the persistence of security agencies in dismantling support structures that sustain terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Interrogation of the accused is expected to shed more light on the remaining logistical channels and possible sleeper cells active in South Kashmir. Authorities have also intensified surveillance in the Kulgam and Anantnag belts to prevent further regrouping of militant modules.

Security experts believe that the crackdown on OGWs like Katari is essential to choking off the logistical ecosystem without which terror modules cannot operate. By dismantling such networks, agencies aim to prevent the recurrence of civilian-targeted attacks like the one in Pahalgam and restore confidence in Kashmir’s security environment.

Based On PTI Report