Who Was Hashim Musa, Pahalgam Attack Mastermind Killed In Dachigam Encounter?
Ex-Pakistani SSG commando turned Lashkar handler, Musa was behind the April 22 terror attack that killed 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir
The Indian Army's Special Forces on Monday eliminated Hashim Musa, the mastermind behind the recent Pahalgam terror attack, during an intense encounter in the dense forests of Harwan near Dachigam, Jammu and Kashmir. His death marks a major breakthrough in India's ongoing counter-terror operations in the Valley.
At least three terrorists were killed in the gunfight, which took place around 20 kilometres from Srinagar's city centre. 'Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation continues," the Army's Srinagar-based Chinar Corps said in a post on X.
The Dachigam encounter came amid a large-scale manhunt for those behind the Pahalgam massacre. Intelligence inputs gathered over the past month had indicated that some of the operatives involved in the April 22 attack may have moved into the Harwan–Dachigam region.
Who Was Hashim Musa?
Hashim Musa, also known as Suleiman Musa, was formerly associated with Pakistan's Special Services Group (SSG), the elite commando wing of the Pakistani Army. According to multiple intelligence sources cited in media reports, Musa was later inducted into the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. Security officials believe he was 'loaned" by elements of Pakistan's military establishment to support Lashkar's cross-border operations in Jammu and Kashmir, part of a pattern where ex-special forces personnel are informally embedded within terror groups to enhance their operational capabilities while maintaining plausible deniability.
According to an India Today report, Musa had infiltrated Indian territory around September 2023 through the Kathua–Samba sector along the International Border. After entering Jammu and Kashmir, he was active across districts such as Budgam, Baramulla, Rajouri, Poonch, and Ganderbal. These movements were pieced together through intelligence assessments and the interrogation of overground workers (OGWs) detained following the Pahalgam attack.
The April 22 Pahalgam Attack
On April 22, 2025, heavily armed terrorists opened fire on civilians in the Baisaran Valley area near Pahalgam, killing 26 people. The attackers were equipped with M4 rifles and used tactics that suggested professional military training and coordination. Investigators later identified Musa as the key figure behind the planning and execution of the attack.
Suspected Role In Earlier Attacks
Reports also link Musa to at least three other attacks in 2024, including in Ganderbal and Baramulla, where security forces and civilians were targeted. His presence in those zones was corroborated through digital intelligence and human inputs collected over several months.
Reward And Search Operation
Following the Pahalgam massacre, the Jammu and Kashmir Police released sketches of three suspects, including Musa, and announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for actionable information. Posters were circulated in sensitive districts to generate leads. At least 15 overground workers were arrested in connection with the case, as per The New Indian Express.
A Trained Threat Neutralised
Musa's background in the Pakistan Army and his operations in Kashmir under Lashkar-e-Taiba's banner made him one of the most technically capable foreign terrorists active in the region. His elimination is being seen as a significant development in the ongoing campaign against Pakistani-backed terrorism.
First Published:
July 28, 2025, 15:14 IST
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