Op Mahadev: A Relentless Manhunt That Secured Pahalgam Victims’ Justice

Operation Mahadev stands as a testament to the Indian Army's resolve, professionalism and seamless coordination with intelligence agencies, restoring public faith that terrorists will be pursued and held accountable.

A PARA (Special Forces) team undertook a stealthy approach through treacherous terrain, covering 3 kilometres on foot over 10 hours. In a swift and precise engagement, all three terrorists were neutralised.

Based on fresh intelligence inputs, Operation Mahadev entered its decisive phase. Large-scale, coordinated operations were launched across Lidwas, Harwan and Dachhigam; troops were redeployed and escape routes blocked to isolate the terrorists within a confined zone.

The operation spanned over 250 kilometres as security forces pursued the terrorists, with the operational grid progressively compressed toward a 25 square kilometre area in the days that followed.

Drones, remotely piloted aircraft, electro-optical sensors and other advanced surveillance tools were extensively employed to track movement in dense forested zones, with continuous intelligence validation to keep pressure on the terrorists.

Over the following weeks, intelligence agencies, the Indian Army, Jammu & Kashmir Police, and Central Armed Police Forces coordinated to shrink the 300-plus square kilometre operational area through surveillance, cross-country pursuit and precise force deployment.

By the end of May, authorities had a clearer operational picture. The terrorists were seen exploiting difficult terrain to evade capture as the annual Yatra approached.

Security forces mapped the terrorists' progression through the upper reaches of South Kashmir—Hapatnar, Bugmar and Tral—gradually gravitating toward the dense forests of Dachhigam along the Mahadeo Ridge, where terrain would test movement.

A rapid, cross-domain intelligence appreciation enabled security forces to adapt to the terrorists' movement patterns and expand the operational grid accordingly.

Eyewitness accounts, including an Army officer at the location, pointed to three Pakistani terrorists. Through a combination of HUMINT and TECHINT, security agencies confirmed the attackers as Sulaiman Shah, Hamza Afgani and Jibran Bhai of Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam prompted an immediate response by Indian Army troops who reached the site within hours and began piecing together the sequence of events. Initial measures focused on sealing escape routes and preventing the attackers from fleeing the Valley.