On 28th July, in a major breakthrough for Indian security forces, the mastermind of the brutal Pahalgam terrorist attack was neutralised along with two other terrorists during a joint anti-terror operation codenamed Operation Mahadev in Jammu and Kashmir. The operation was led by the Chinar Corps of the Indian Army with support from the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
One of the slain terrorists has been identified as Hashim Musa alias Abu Suleman. He was a top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative and key conspirator in the Pahalgam terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 26 innocent Hindus in April this year.
Tracked and hunted in the forest
According to a report in India Today, the terrorists were part of a joint LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed module. It was under surveillance by security forces for the past 14 days. Security agencies pointed out that there were 5-7 members in the group.
Sources revealed that the terrorists were caught off gaurd. The encounter was unplanned and occurred after personnel from 4 PARA and 24 Rashtriya Rifles spotted the terrorists napping in a tented hideout beneath dense forest cover. An official speaking to India Today said, “They were lying down inside a makeshift trench, concealed under trees. The 4 PARA team acted instantly and neutralised them.”
Drone visuals captured at 12:37 PM confirmed three bodies in the vicinity, confirming swift elimination. The engagement had started barely an hour earlier in the general area of Lidwas, deep inside the Dachigam forest region.
Local inputs and intercepted chatter played a key role
Operation Mahadev was commenced two days prior to the encounter after suspicious communication, suspected to be from a terrorist handset, was picked up from the Dachigam area. Intelligence agencies believe the signal originated from a Chinese satellite phone activated in Baisaran on 11th July.
Search parties were deployed across the forest terrain to follow the lead. Crucially, local nomads familiar with the area provided valuable inputs that helped in pinpointing movement patterns of the suspected terrorists.
Unnamed sources told India Today, “The terrorists were part of a joint LeT–Jaish-e-Mohammed module and had been under surveillance for over 14 days. The group is estimated to have 5 to 7 members.” The three neutralised terrorists were likely a splinter cell that had broken away from the main group earlier that morning.
Prime suspect of Pahalgam massacre
Hashim Musa had been on the radar as the chief executor of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. In that incident, 26 innocent Hindu tourists were mercilessly gunned down in the Baisaran Valley. Security agencies noted that Musa appeared extremely thin, likely an attempt to alter his physical appearance to avoid detection.
Agencies believe that the other two neutralised terrorists were Yasir and Hamza, also known by the alias Harris. Final confirmation of identities is pending, and a forensic match is underway to establish their exact role in the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
Operation Mahadev is ongoing
Chinar Corps confirmed that the larger operation remains in progress. The remaining members of the terror module are suspected to be hiding in the larger Dachigam forest region. Combing operations are being carried out to flush them out.
OP MAHADEV – Update
— Chinar Corps? – Indian Army (@ChinarcorpsIA) July 28, 2025
Three terrorist have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation Continues.#Kashmir@adgpi@NorthernComd_IA pic.twitter.com/5LToapGKuf
The elimination of Hashim Musa is considered one of the most significant successes since the launch of Operation Sindoor, the retaliatory response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack. In the cross-border offensive, India destroyed nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Over 100 terrorists were eliminated.
Despite the massive blow delivered by Operation Sindoor, the hunt for the masterminds behind the massacre continued, until now.
Operation Mahadev has struck at the core of that plot. But officials say, “the mission will only be considered complete once all members of the module are tracked down and neutralised.”
