Pahalgam Attack Killers Trapped and Killed in Operation Mahadev After Escape Tunnels Flooded
Operation Mahadev confirms the death of three Pakistani terrorists behind the Pahalgam massacre after escape tunnels were flooded, trapping them near Srinagar.
Security forces during Operation Mahadev near Srinagar that eliminated the Pahalgam attackers.
The three terrorists responsible for the brutal killing of 26 pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22 have been confirmed dead following a high-stakes joint operation near Srinagar. Dubbed Operation Mahadev, the mission culminated in the elimination of Suleiman, Afghani, and Jibran — all Pakistani nationals — after they were trapped due to strategically flooded escape tunnels.
Operation Mahadev: A Coordinated Strike
The terrorists were gunned down on Monday in Lidwas, near Srinagar, by a combined team of the Indian Army, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police. The encounter was the result of weeks of intelligence-gathering, including intercepts of terrorist communications. Sophisticated arms, including M9 rifles, AK-47s, and rifle grenades, were recovered from the site.
Although there was strong suspicion that the trio was behind the Pahalgam massacre, the government waited for scientific confirmation before going public.
A Night of High-Level Coordination
According to government sources, Union Home Minister Amit Shah personally monitored the forensic verification process through the night to ensure there was no room for doubt. Bullet casings recovered from the Operation Mahadev site were flown to Chandigarh’s Forensic Science Laboratory, while a special Air Force cargo plane transported ballistic testing equipment from Ahmedabad.
Shah remained in constant contact with the forensic team until early Tuesday morning, receiving real-time updates through phone and video calls. Scientists confirmed a near-perfect ballistic match between the weapons used in the Baisaran Valley killings and those recovered from the encounter site — solidifying the link.
“There is no room for doubt,” said Shah in the Lok Sabha during the Operation Sindoor debate. “The bullets recovered from Pahalgam and the bullets fired from these guns are a 100% match, confirmed by six independent scientists.”
Escape Tunnels Flooded to Trap the Killers
The pursuit began hours after the April 22 attack when Shah flew to Kashmir and instructed security agencies to ensure the terrorists could not cross back into Pakistan. Forces identified an 8-km route likely to be used for exfiltration and fortified it.
During their search, they discovered infiltration tunnels that the terrorists might use. These tunnels were deliberately flooded, effectively cutting off escape routes and forcing the attackers into hiding.
Over three months, the trio remained hidden, but a combination of intelligence and strategic containment led to their eventual discovery and death.
Witness and Forensic Confirmation
Local aides who had allegedly supported the terrorists were detained and brought in to identify the bodies. While their testimony confirmed the identities, the government insisted on ballistic proof to corroborate the claim scientifically.
The forensic tests revealed that the weapons seized in Operation Mahadev hadn’t been fired since the day of the Pahalgam attack — further confirming the identity of the gunmen.
