5 facts on Suleiman Shah, the Pahalgam attacker killed in J&K encounter
Acting on specific intelligence, the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a joint operation, which was codenamed Operation Mahadev in the rugged Lidwas region near Dara, close to Dachigam National Park.
Srinagar-based Chinar Corps of the Indian Army confirmed that three terrorists were killed in a fierce gunfight.
'Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation continues,' China Corps wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
However, sources said one of the slain terrorists has been identified as Suleiman Shah, the mastermind behind the recent Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead.
Who was Suleman Shah, mastermind of the Pahalgam attack?
Suleiman Shah, also known as Hashim Moosa, was the mastermind behind the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists, NDTV reported.
Suleiman Shah had previously served in the Pakistan Army, the report added.
He was affiliated with the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Following the attack in Baisaran, the Jammu and Kashmir Police announced a ₹ 20 lakh reward for credible information leading to his whereabouts.
20 lakh reward for credible information leading to his whereabouts. Suleman Shah was believed to be hiding in Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district in the weeks after the attack.
'It is a prolonged operation and is still continuing in which J&K police, paramilitary and army have an exchange of fire (with terrorists) in higher reaches. As per the interior reports, three bodies are being observed and seems to be neutralised. It is an ongoing operation and I would not like to divulge much at this moment. We will share details with you at an opportune time. It will take us some time for identification and all that. The (security) parties are still inside,' IGP Kashmir Vidhi Kumar Birdi told the media.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
25 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Elected govts at local body levels key to India's goal of being developed nation: Report
Lack of duly elected governments at the city or urban local body levels is an obstacle to India's ambitious goal of being a developed nation, a report released on Wednesday. The report by Bengaluru-based non-profit Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy argued that developed cities are a key to India's economic growth, and globally, there are no examples of cities being developed well without strong urban local governments. (Representative file photo) To make their case, the authors said Indian cities already contribute 60% of GDP. But, compared to the global average of 3.9% increase in per capita GDP for every 1% increase in urbanisation, India delivers only a 1.7% increase. The study noted that a 932% increase in central government budgets for the urban sector from 2009–10 to 2024–25, along with a similar rise in investments by respective state governments, has failed to deliver optimum results. '59% of urban residents face water scarcity, 80% are exposed to unhealthy air quality, 36.4 crore urban residents faced very strong heat stress, and recurring urban floods across major cities, with the 2015 Chennai floods alone costing ₹15,000 crores. This signals deeper governance issues,' the authors of the report said. Titled 'Delays in Urban Local Government Elections in India: Analysis and Reform Pathways', the report flagged an average 22-month delay in conducting municipal elections, an 11-month average delay in electing mayors and forming councils, despite the Constitutional mandate of holding elections before council term expiry or within six months after dissolution. The study also shed light on many Constitutional silences, particularly in terms of laying down defined timelines and the lack of independence of state election commissions, with only eight of the 34 SECs having powers over both ward delimitation and reservation. Also Read: A road map to mitigate Delhi's pollution crisis As remedies, the report recommended reforms at the centre, state governments, and state election commission levels. Srikanth Viswanathan, chief executive officer at Janagraha, said, 'The centre should consider stopping central sector funding to states that do not facilitate duly elected city councils altogether, as done for 15th Finance Commission grants for cities without duly elected bodies.' He also said states should be incentivised for empowering state election commissions. The study collated findings from 13 court orders of various high courts and the apex court, CAG reports, interviews with state election commissioners, municipal legislations at the state level, and a roundtable organised with MPs, mayors, and sectoral experts held earlier in July. Janaagraha said that they will share the report with the chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Housing and Urban Affairs who had chaired their roundtable, state governments, the Parliamentary Accounts Committee, and state election commissions.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
27 minutes ago
- First Post
'Billions of dollars now flowing into US': Trump's new tariffs come into effect in major trade war escalation
In a statement, Trump said that big amounts of money would flow in from countries that have 'taken advantage' of the US for years. read more US President Donald Trump's August 7 tariff deadline has ended, meaning that his sweeping levies have now come into effect. Just ahead of the midnight deadline (local time), the US president took to Truth Social to declare: 'IT'S MIDNIGHT!!! BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TARIFFS ARE NOW FLOWING INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!' In a bold move, Trump earlier announced a 50 per cent tariff on India, set to take effect on August 27, unless the country halts its purchases of Russian oil. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The tariff announcement coincides with Trump's escalating pressure on the technology sector. He warned of a 100 per cent tariff on foreign-made computer chips, urging tech giants to bolster domestic manufacturing. The White House's influence was evident when Apple, under mounting pressure, unveiled a massive $100 billion investment to expand its US-based production. The move is seen as a direct response to Trump's call for companies to bring manufacturing back to American soil. In his statement, Trump said that 'big amounts of money would flow in from countries that have 'taken advantage' of the US for years.' He framed the tariffs as a corrective measure to level the playing field for American businesses. 'The only thing that can stop America's greatness would be a radical left court that wants to see our country fail!' the Republican leader stated. Last week, Trump signed executive orders outlining tariff rates for nearly 70 countries, with duties ranging from 10 per cent to significantly higher rates for nations like Laos, Myanmar, and Syria. As the August 27 deadline approaches, all eyes are on India's response to the oil-related ultimatum, while the tech industry braces for the potential impact of Trump's proposed chip tariffs.
The Hindu
27 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Bengal's college teachers' union, once led by luminaries including S. Radhakrishnan, turning 100
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was not just the second President of India; he also happened to be the second president — the first being Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray — of a Bengal-based college teachers' organisation that is turning 100 and remains relevant in the academic ecosystem. WBCUTA or West Bengal College and University Teachers' Association began its centenary celebrations on August 3 at Meghnad Saha auditorium in Rajabazar Science College and will continue holding events throughout the year. It was in February 1926 that the All Bengal College and University Teachers' Association was set up in Calcutta, its first session being held in August that year, and it went on to function under the leadership of several luminaries including Dr. Radhakrishnan, Dr. C.V. Raman and Dr. Meghnad Saha, before being renamed WBCUTA after Partition. 'Two features have always distinguished it from other organisations in the field. One, it has always emphasised that it is much more than a trade union of college teachers. One, in the words of Prafulla Chandra Ray, it has put upfront the idea that education is not just a 'britti' (vocation) but a 'brata' (mission). Two, it has never been merely a front organisation of any particular political party. Its executive committee has always had representations from teachers with diverse political beliefs. These aspects of the movement are as relevant today as it was a century ago,' Asis Kumar Banerjee, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Calcutta who inaugurated the centenary celebrations, told The Hindu. 'A multi-tendency organisation' What supports Prof. Banerjee's statement that WBCUTA has never been a front organisation of any particular political party is its website, which looks as if it belongs to a reputed university — in contrast to the homepage of WBCUPA, a similar organisation started by the Trinamool Congress, which instantly throws up images of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek and urges professors to join the outfit. 'WBCUTA is a multi-tendency organisation — extreme Leftist to extreme Rightist, all are members of this organisation. Its main strength, like that of India, is Unity in Diversity. Democratic rights of the opposition are protected by the constitution of WBCUTA. Perhaps this is the only organisation of our country where during executive elections one-third of the total number is again elected from the defeated panel to ensure representation from all corners. Not only that, taking referendum has been a common practice for taking decision on movements and other issues. This is no doubt a unique feature which had led to 100 years of glorious journey,' said Srutinath Praharaj, a former general secretary of WBCUTA. 'WBCUTA has a prolonged history of combating corporate-communal forces. At present it has important ideological-political as well as academic tasks to perform. Today, in the context of growing offensive of casteist, communalist and regional disruptive forces, this task has assumed increasing importance,' Dr. Praharaj said. Ishita Mukhopadhyay, a senior professor of Economics at the University of Calcutta and a member of WBCUTA for over 30 years, also emphasised that the association, based on a democratic structure, was not just a trade union of teachers fighting for their own rights but also a frontal organisation working for the sake of higher education in the country. 'Being a part of this association has given me belongingness to a larger community. This has given me a space to argue, resist, laugh and cry. I remember when we were marching for our rights in the 1980s demanding implementation of the Mehrotra Committee Report, we courted arrest. I had just joined the profession. Time has flown by; I have gained friends in the movement. WBCUTA is like home outside home to me,' Prof. Mukhopadhyay said.
