Mastermind of Pahalgam Attack Among Three Terrorists Killed in Daring Forest Raid
Indian security forces achieved a major breakthrough on July 28, 2025, eliminating the architect of the Pahalgam terror massacre along with two of his top lieutenants during a decisive encounter in the dense Lidwas forests near Srinagar. This effort, known as Operation Mahadev, followed an exhaustive months-long pursuit sparked by the carnage at Baisaran Valley just three months earlier.
NATIONAL
Thinkbrief
7/23/20252 min read
The Pahalgam massacre stands out as one of Kashmir’s most horrifying recent tragedies. On April 22, 2025, armed militants targeted a group of tourists and locals, methodically selecting victims by religion and leaving 26 people dead. The atrocity caused national outrage and spurred an intensified crackdown across the Valley. Authorities quickly identified Suleiman Shah, known by aliases Hashim Moosa and allegedly a former Pakistan Army member, as the chief orchestrator. Headlining India’s most-wanted list, he carried a bounty of ₹20 lakh for information leading to his capture.
The turning point arrived when security agencies picked up satellite phone activity traced to the massacre’s perpetrators. Villager reports near Dara and Harwan pointed to unfamiliar movements, prompting targeted searches. Teams from the Army’s 24 Rashtriya Rifles, 4 PARA special forces, Central Reserve Police Force, and Jammu and Kashmir Police surrounded the Lidwas-Dachigam stretch at first light. Agents backed by drones and a web of intelligence located the terrorists’ woodland hideout.
The confrontation erupted just before midday. Fierce gunfire disrupted the forest’s calm. Shah and his two associates, identified as Afghan (a.k.a. Faiz-e-Jat or Hamza Afghani) and Jibran, did not survive the encounter. All were ranked among the most dangerous operatives in Lashkar-e-Taiba. Jibran had also been linked to the audacious Sonamarg Tunnel attack of October 2023. Security forces recovered an M4 carbine, AK-47 rifles, and grenades at the scene.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah swiftly confirmed the men’s pivotal roles in the Pahalgam attack, praising the joint operation’s tactical precision. Forensic teams matched recovered weapons to shell casings from the Baisaran site. Interrogations of other suspects further established the men’s identities and their responsibility for the April killings. The operation had begun the very night of the massacre, with security squads determined to prevent the fugitives’ escape into Pakistan and to track every hint, despite hostile terrain and shifting weather.
Kashmir’s communities, still raw from April’s bloodshed, greeted the news with relief. For grieving families, this development delivered a measure of justice even as loss and trauma endure. Security operations persist across the challenging Dachigam forest, as vigilance continues against hidden militant cells.
Operation Mahadev offers more than a tactical win. It underscores the nation’s commitment to civilian safety and the rule of law amid persistent threats. As authorities complete legal formalities and political leaders debate next steps, the raid’s impact echoes through Kashmir, reinforcing the fragile hope for peace and reminding all that justice can prevail even in the Valley’s most troubled corners.