Man who helped Pahalgam attackers arrested; 1st major breakthrough of Operation Mahadev

The arrest follows a forensic analysis of weapons and equipment recovered during Operation Mahadev, a counter-terror operation in July that tracked down and neutralised two gunmen responsible for killing 26 people at Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination.

Officials described Katari’s arrest as the first significant breakthrough since Operation Mahadev, underlining the government’s focus on dismantling the terror network behind the Pahalgam killings. A faction of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba had earlier claimed responsibility for the massacre.

Operation Mahadev and Aftermath

Operation Mahadev began on May 22, when intelligence indicated that terrorists were hiding in Dachigam near Srinagar. Security forces monitored encrypted communications on China-origin devices before launching an assault on July 28.

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Drone surveillance confirmed the location of the terrorists, after which the Rashtriya Rifles and Special Forces commandos engaged them. By 12.45 pm, three terrorists, including Suleiman Shah alias Hashim Musa, the alleged mastermind of the Pahalgam attack, were eliminated.

Recovered weapons, including AK-47s and M9 assault rifles, were sent to a Chandigarh lab. Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed in Parliament, “We generated empty bullet shells by firing these rifles and matched them to those found in Pahalgam. It was confirmed that these rifles were used to murder innocent civilians.”

The Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 lives, was the deadliest in nearly two decades and led to major diplomatic and military escalations. The Indian government responded with Operation Sindoor, targeting terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, leading to a 100-hour conflict before a ceasefire was declared.