Operation Mahadev: 2 Pahalgam Attack Terrorists Among 3 Gunned Down In Harwan Encounter
Security forces killed three militants, including two linked to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, in a Harwan forest gunfight near Dachigam. The operation, based on intelligence, yielded US-made weapons and suggests infiltration.
Two of the terrorists believed to be behind the deadly April 22 attack in Pahalgam — identified as Sulaiman and Yasir — were among the three militants killed in a fierce gunfight with security forces in the forests of Harwan near Dachigam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday.
According to official sources, the third slain terrorist has been identified as Ali. The operation, launched on the basis of concrete intelligence, remains ongoing amid suspicions of a fourth militant possibly hiding in the area.
Security forces recovered a US-made carbine, an AK-47, 17 rifle grenades, and other arms and ammunition from the encounter site, reinforcing suspicions of a well-planned infiltration.
Firefight Erupts During Search Operation
The anti-terror operation began early Monday in the Mulnar area of Harwan, around 20 km from central Srinagar, following credible intelligence inputs suggesting the movement of terrorists linked to the Pahalgam carnage.
During the combing operation, gunfire erupted from the forested region, triggering a fierce exchange. Additional reinforcements were rushed in, eventually resulting in the elimination of the three terrorists.
The Srinagar-based Chinar Corps confirmed the development on social media platform X, noting that “three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight” and that the operation continues.
The April 22 Pahalgam terror attack claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists, and led to nationwide condemnation. Intelligence agencies had since been tracking those responsible, with suspicions that they had shifted base towards Dachigam.
‘Good News Will Come Soon,’ Says J&K LG Manoj Sinha
On July 16, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, speaking at Gandhi Smriti during a lecture titled ‘Jammu and Kashmir: Towards Peace’, stated that those responsible for the Pahalgam attack had been identified and would face justice soon.
“Following the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan received a strong response through Operation Sindoor. Those who carried out the attack have been identified, and I can confidently say they do not have long to live. Good news will come, but it’s not appropriate to disclose a specific date,” the Lieutenant Governor said, as quoted by news agency PTI.
He added, “Over the past five years, even the highest leaders of various terrorist organisations are no longer alive, and they will meet the same fate.”
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