Pahalgam mastermind Suleiman Shah among 3 killed in Srinagar

In Jammu & Kashmir, the mastermind of the Pahalgam attack was among three Pakistani terrorists killed in an encounter in Srinagar under Operation Mahadev, sources said. Top Lashkar commander Suleiman Shah, alias Musa Fauji, was the conspirator and executor of the attack, which left 26 civilians dead. They were caught napping before being neutralised.However, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have said that the operation against terrorists is still underway and they will issue an official statement only after it ends. The joint counter-terror operation, codenamed “Op Mahadev,” was launched early morning in the Lidwas forest area near Dachigam National Park, following intelligence inputs on militant movement in the Mulnar area of Harwan. The Indian Army’s Chinar Corps confirmed the engagement, stating on X, “OP MAHADEV – Contact established in General Area Lidwas. Operation in progress.” The encounter began after initial gunfire was exchanged during a search operation, prompting additional forces to be deployed and a tight cordon to be established.Preliminary reports suggest that the neutralised militants were foreign nationals affiliated with the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.

OP MAHADEV

Contact established in General Area Lidwas. Operation in progress.#Kashmir@adgpi@NorthernComd_IA pic.twitter.com/xSjEegVxra

— Chinar Corps - Indian Army (@ChinarcorpsIA) July 28, 2025

 “There is a high probability that these terrorists were part of the group responsible for the Pahalgam attack,” a senior police official said, adding that identity verification is underway. The April 22 attack in Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam had left 25 tourists and one local dead, sending shockwaves across the nation and drawing sharp condemnation. The gruesome assault prompted the launch of a massive counter-terrorism grid in the Valley and escalated tensions between India and Pakistan. On May 7, New Delhi initiated “Operation Sindoor,” involving missile strikes on terror infrastructure across the border.
Monday’s encounter in the forested Dachigam region is seen as a high-value operation given its proximity to Srinagar and the suspected involvement of the slain terrorists in one of the deadliest attacks in recent times. Officials said the search and combing operations are still underway, and a formal statement will be issued after the area is fully secured. Security remains heightened in the region as forces continue to scan for any additional militant presence.