In a major breakthrough, top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander and mastermind of the Pahalgam attack, Suleiman Shah alias Musa Fauji, was among the three Pakistani terrorists killed in Monday’s encounter under Operation Mahadev in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar region, sources confirmed.
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The encounter took place near the Dachigam area, close to the Mahadev ridge, where the Indian Army and Jammu & Kashmir Police launched a joint operation after tracking suspicious movements for nearly two weeks. The operation began around 11:30 AM and involved elite units from 24 Rashtriya Rifles and 4 PARA.
According to intelligence sources, Shah was not only the chief conspirator of the April 22 carnage in Pahalgam that left 26 civilians dead but was also linked to the brutal killing of seven workers involved in the construction of the Z-Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Sonmarg highway in 2024.
The terrorists were caught off guard in a temporary hideout, where they were reportedly resting. This element of surprise allowed the Army to neutralise the group effectively. A cache of weapons was recovered from the site, including 17 grenades, an M4 carbine, and two AK-47 rifles.
Security forces had been closely tracking a joint Lashkar-Jaish module in the dense jungles of Dachigam after intercepting suspicious satellite communication earlier this month. The surveillance was aided by inputs from local nomadic communities. Renewed communication signals just two days ago helped pinpoint the terrorists’ location, culminating in Monday’s swift encounter.
The name ‘Operation Mahadev’ was reportedly chosen due to the location of the operation between the Mahadev and Zabarwan ridges.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the Pahalgam attack, had earlier arrested two locals for allegedly sheltering the attackers. While official confirmation of Suleiman Shah’s role in the Pahalgam massacre is awaited following identification of the bodies, intelligence sources maintain he was the key figure behind the planning and execution.
The April 22 attack in Baisaran Valley, popularly known as “mini Switzerland”, was one of the deadliest in recent memory. Carried out while tourists were enjoying a picnic, the terrorists selectively targeted men, specifically those identified as non-Muslims. The attack was later claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The development comes on the day when the Parliament is set to debate the Pahalgam massacre and India’s military response through Operation Sindoor. Opposition parties have repeatedly criticised the government over delays in bringing the perpetrators to justice. The elimination of Suleiman Shah is being seen as a significant counterterrorism success for Indian security forces.
