Pahalgam attack mastermind Suleman Shah killed in Kashmir encounter: Sources
The encounter began around 11 am after specific intelligence inputs indicated the presence of foreign terrorists in the region. The firefight unfolded in the dense forest terrain between the Zabarwan and Mahadev ridges, giving the operation its name.
"Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation continues," the Army's Chinar Corps said in an official statement, adding that additional reinforcements and aerial surveillance were deployed to support ground forces.
Sources said that one of the terrorists killed has been identified as Suleman Shah, the mastermind of the Pahalgam attack.
Police though said that the operation is still on, and they will issue an official statement only after it ends.
"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.
Operation Mahadev
Security forces had launched a massive operation to track down the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack that left 26 people dead, and intelligence inputs over the past month had suggested that the terrorists might have moved towards the Dachigam area, which is around 20 km from Srinagar's city centre.
The security forces, acting on an intelligence input, launched an anti-militancy operation, Operation Mahadev, in the Mulnar area of Harwan on Monday morning. Two rounds of gunshots were heard from a distance as security forces were carrying out searches of the area.
Reinforcements were rushed to the area, and the combing operations intensified, which led to the elimination of the three terrorists.
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