Pahalgam Mastermind Suleiman Shah Shot Dead In Operation Mahadev: Report

In a major breakthrough, Indian security forces shot dead Hashim Musa, also known as Suleiman Shah, the main accused in the brutal terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians in the Baisaran valley near Pahalgam on April 22. The high-stakes encounter took place near Srinagar, resulting in the elimination of Suleiman along with two other militants.

Suleiman Shah, a former commando from Pakistan Army's Special Service Group (SSG), had later aligned himself with the proscribed terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), founded by Hafiz Saeed. His involvement in several high-profile terror attacks had made him one of the most wanted terrorists in the region, NDTV reported citing sources.

The joint operation - codenamed Operation Mahadev - was carried out by the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Jammu and Kashmir Police. Acting on intelligence inputs, the forces launched the offensive in the Mulnar area of Harwan early Monday. Suleiman was on the radar of security agencies following multiple deadly strikes, including the October 2024 attack on a workers' camp constructing a tunnel, which left seven civilians dead, and an ambush in Baramulla that killed four security personnel.

He had reportedly infiltrated into Indian territory in September 2023 and established a terror network across South Kashmir. Following the Pahalgam massacre, authorities had announced a bounty of ₹20 lakh for information leading to his capture.

According to officials, all three terrorists neutralized in the operation were classified as "high-value" foreign operatives. The site of the encounter, a hideout deep inside the forest, yielded a significant cache of arms - including carbines, AK-47 rifles, 17 rifle grenades, and other sophisticated weapons. Intelligence agencies believe the group was preparing for another large-scale attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

The operation was launched after a spike in encrypted communications was picked up through a Chinese ultra radio system - the same technology linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba in previous cases, including its 2016 operations using the WY SMS communication system.

The successful operation is being hailed as a major win for Indian forces in their continuing battle against cross-border terrorism.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday warned Pakistan, stating that if any "misadventure occurs from Pakistan's side in the future," Operation Sindoor "will be resumed."

During the debate over Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack, he said, "On 10th May, when the Indian Air Force struck hard at multiple airfields in Pakistan, Pakistan admitted defeat and offered to cease hostilities. This offer was accepted with the caveat that this Operation has only been paused. If any misadventure occurs from Pakistan's side in the future, this Operation will be resumed..."