J&K: Pahalgam Attack Mastermind Among 3 Terrorists Killed

• Three high-value terrorists, including the mastermind of the April 22 Pahalgam attack, were neutralized in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The operation, named ‘Operation Mahadev’, took place at Lidwas near Srinagar on July 28, 2025.

GG News Bureau
Srinagar, 28th July: Three “high value terrorists,” including one identified as the mastermind behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, were neutralized today in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. The operation, codenamed ‘Operation Mahadev’, was launched by the Indian Army at Lidwas, near Srinagar in the Mulnar area of Harwan.

Acting on intelligence inputs, security forces engaged the terrorists in an intense firefight. One of the killed terrorists, Suleman, a Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, has been identified as a key orchestrator of the Pahalgam attack, which tragically claimed the lives of 26 people. The other two neutralized terrorists were identified as Abu Hamza and Yasir.

Visual evidence of the terrorists’ hideout, accessed by NDTV, provides a glimpse into their forest encampment. The image shows the bodies of the terrorists amidst bushes, surrounded by multiple assault rifles. A large green sheet, serving as a makeshift shelter, is seen hanging between trees, with a cluttered pile of clothes, blankets, plastic bags, food, and plates visible underneath.

“Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation Continues,” the Indian Army stated in an update following the successful engagement. Search operations are ongoing in the area.