Union Home Minister Amit Shah announces the success of Operation Mahadev in the Lok Sabha, highlighting a key counter-terrorism victory.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the success of the operation in the Lok Sabha when he praised the security personnel for their bravery and efficiency. Reaffirming the government's strong resolve against terrorism and towards national security, the announcement was made while the issue continued with cross-border terrorism threats and the issue of civilian and tourist safety in Jammu and Kashmir.
Amit Shah has provided information about Operation Mahadev, an Indian security forces operation that eliminated three terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, as the discussion around Operation Sindoor rages on. The operation started on May 22, 2025, the BJP leader added.
According to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the three terrorists slain in Operation Mahadev were complicit in the Pahalgam incident on April 22, which claimed 26 lives. He claims that the Pahalgam attack and Operation Mahadev started on the same day. The three "A-grade" terrorists were identified as Jibran, Hamza Afghani, and Sulieman, also known as Asif.
Specific intelligence inputs, such as a technical signal like to the one employed in the Pahalgam attack, served as the foundation for Operation Mahadev. As it was code-named, was initiated in response to technological and intelligence reconnaissance that indicated terrorist activity in the area.
In a significant development, Indian security forces conducted Operation Mahadev near Srinagar, killing three terrorists, including the mastermind behind the deadly Pahalgam attack, Hashim Musa, alias Suleiman Shah, which claimed 26 lives in April. The operation, carried out by the Indian Army along with Jammu & Kashmir Police, came on the heels of very precise intelligence and involved a very fierce encounter in the rugged terrain of Lidwas area, showcasing the swift and strategic response of the security forces.
When a composite squad of the 24 Rashtriya Rifles and 4 Para unit discovered terrorist activities in the Mulnar region of Harwan at around 11 a.m., the encounter started. Three heavily armed terrorists were killed as a result of the forces quick action and fierce battle with the attackers.
Most families welcomed the news with relief at not being able to seek justice, insisting that true justice will come only after terrorism ceases to exist. This operation signifies an important step toward dismantling terror networks in the region, and it demonstrates the continued vigilance and resilience of Indian security forces in safeguarding the nation's sovereignty and the citizens.
One M4 carbine, two AK rifles, and other warlike items were among the stockpile of weapons and ammo that security services retrieved from the scene of the encounter, suggesting that the terrorists were well-prepared and perhaps preparing for another significant attack.
All three terrorists were foreign citizens from Pakistan who were associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba, according to SSP Srinagar GV Sundeep Chakravarty. But only after full identification and forensic verification, he claimed, would definitive connections to the Pahalgam attack be made.
“Three terrorists have been neutralized in an intense firefight," the Army's Chinar Corps, stationed in Srinagar, announced in a statement posted on social media platform X. The operation is still ongoing.
Although three dead had been retrieved, Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone) VK Birdi called the gunfight a long-drawn operation and stated that more information will be released following thorough verification.
