Breakthrough In Pahalgam Terror Attack Case? Shopian And Tral Encounters May Offer Clues
Amid speculation about possible involvement of the killed terrorists with the Pahalgam module, officials told News18 that a technical investigation is being mounted
Back-to-back encounters in Shopian and Tral in south Kashmir have raised hopes of a breakthrough in the Pahalgam terror attack case. Preliminary investigation suggests that the three people killed in Tral on Thursday are: Asif Ahmad Sheikh S/o Ghulam Mohd R/o Munghama Tral; Amir Nazir wani S/o Nazir R/o Khasipora Tral; and, Yawar Ahmad Bhat S/o Nazir Ahmad R/o Larrow Jagir, Tral. All three are suspected to be part of the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group.
Security forces on Thursday launched a cordon and search operation in the Nader Tral area of Awantipora in the south Kashmir district after receiving specific inputs about the presence of terrorists.
The search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists opened fire at the forces, who retaliated, officials said. The three terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire, they added.
A day earlier, three other terrorists, including Shahid Kuttay and Adnan Shafi Dar, were gunned down in Shopian.
The Indian Army said the Shopian operation was launched on Tuesday on the basis of intelligence about terrorists' presence in the area. 'The operation resulted in the neutralisation of three hardcore terrorists including the local commander of LeT/TRF after an intense encounter," the ADGPI said in a post on X.
Two AK series rifles, a large quantity of ammunition, grenades, and other war-like stores were found in their possession, he said.
Kuttay, an alleged active terrorist since March 2023, was suspected to be involved in multiple attacks, including the April 8 shooting at Danish Resort in Shopian, which left two German tourists and their driver injured.
The family homes of Kuttay and Shafi Dar were demolished after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, in which Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 Indian tourists, including a naval officer, in J&K's Pahalgam.
Amid speculation about possible involvement of the killed terrorists with the Pahalgam module, officials told News18 that a technical investigation is being mounted.
'The mobile phones found on the slain terrorists might hold some clue. It is being put through forensic test to ascertain if the slain terrorists had any role to play in Pahalgam," a top officer of the security grid told News18.
It was slain terrorist Junaid Bhatt's phone that had given the local police and security grid details about Pakistani terrorists Hashim Musa, Ali Bhai and Anantnag resident Adil Hussain Thoker. The trio is suspected of killing the 26 tourists in Pahalgam. J&K Police have announced a Rs 20 lakh reward for any information on the trio.
Junaid had allegedly conspired with Musa and others to carry out the terror attack at Sonmarg tunnel. He was subsequently killed in Dachigam and his phone provided viral clues.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), sources said, is likely to work with the Jammu and Kashmir Police on the Tral and Shopian encounter to look for possible evidence in the Pahalgam case which the federal agency is probing.
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First Published:
May 15, 2025, 13:05 IST
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