Pahalgam Terror Harbourers To Identify Hashim Musa, Two Other Terrorists Killed In Dachigam Op
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken two accused, Parvez and Bashir, to help identify the three slain terrorists. The two men are accused of harbouring the militants and had reportedly seen them before the operation. Their testimony is expected to play a crucial role in confirming the identities of those killed, sources said.
Musa allegedly met Parvez and Bashir two days before the Pahalgam attack and requested food and rations from them.
The Dachigam encounter, which took place on Monday in the dense forests between the Zabarwan and Mahadev ridges near Srinagar, resulted in the elimination of three terrorists. The operation was carried out by security forces, following specific intelligence inputs. The terrain posed a significant challenge, with thick forest cover and steep ridgelines making access difficult.
According to police sources, a team of Jammu and Kashmir Police trekked for nearly eight hours on foot through the rugged jungle terrain, carrying stretchers and necessary equipment to retrieve the bodies. The retrieval operation continued late into the night, and the bodies were finally brought back to Srinagar.
The area where the encounter occurred is considered strategically sensitive, often used by infiltrators to move between central and south Kashmir. Security agencies believe the slain militants were part of a larger group operating in the region, and the identification process is seen as vital for further investigation and counter-terror planning.
Pahalgam Attack Mastermind Shot Dead
The Indian Army's elite para commandos on Monday gunned down the alleged mastermind of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, along with two of his close associates, in a high-stakes encounter in the forested outskirts of Srinagar.
The mastermind, identified as Mashim Musa, was killed during a surprise offensive launched by security forces after intercepting a technical signal, a satellite phone transmission, believed to have been used by the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack. Acting on the input, the Army initiated 'Operation Mahadev' in the rugged terrain between the Zabarwan and Mahadev ridges.
Officials said the other two slain terrorists were identified as Jibran, who was allegedly linked to last year's Sonamarg Tunnel attack, and Hamza Afghani. All three were neutralised in the joint operation, which was backed by sustained intelligence inputs over the past month.
The April 22 Pahalgam attack had left 26 people, most of them tourists, dead after terrorists opened fire at Baisaran meadows. The incident led to the launch of 'Operation Sindoor' on May 7, a cross-border crackdown by Indian forces aimed at dismantling the terror infrastructure believed to be operating out of Pakistan.
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