New Delhi, May 23: Under ‘Operation Mahadev,’ three terrorists from Pakistan’s Lashkar-e-Taiba were eliminated. This operation not only delivered justice to the victims of the Pahalgam attack but also to those who lost their lives in the Gagangeer terrorist attack on October 20, 2024. During the investigation into the Pahalgam attack, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) successfully established a link to the Gagangeer attack, which claimed seven lives.
Ballistic investigations revealed that the cartridges recovered from both Gagangeer and Pahalgam were fired from the same M-4 carbine. This weapon was recovered by security forces involved in ‘Operation Mahadev.’
On October 20, 2024, Pakistani terrorists attacked a camp of APCO Infratech workers near the strategic Z-Mor tunnel in Gagangeer. The terrorists opened fire inside the dining mess, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals, including a doctor.
The investigation revealed that both attacks were carried out by the same module. The NIA discovered that the individuals planning and directing both attacks were part of the same group.
The Lashkar-e-Taiba’s front organization, ‘The Resistance Front,’ initially claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack but later retracted their statement. This decision was made due to fears of a strong retaliatory response from India. Despite the retraction, India executed ‘Operation Sindoor,’ which led to the complete dismantling of the terrorist infrastructure.
An official stated that Pakistan’s direct involvement had already been proven, and the punishment this time was particularly severe.
The NIA also found that Faisal Jatt, also known as Suleiman, accused of the Gagangeer attack, was also involved in the Pahalgam attack. He and his two associates, Habib Tahir, also known as Chotu, and Hamza Afghani, were killed on July 28, 2025, during ‘Operation Mahadev.’
Following this operation, security forces recovered two AK-47 rifles and one M-4 carbine from the terrorists. The NIA’s investigation clearly highlighted Pakistan’s direct role in both attacks, supported by digital forensic evidence, CCTV footage, ballistic reports, IP tracking, and social media records.
The NIA’s investigation also revealed a pattern that has been observed in Jammu and Kashmir since 2023. This was the same module of ‘The Resistance Front’ that had executed other attacks in the valley.
The three Pakistani terrorists killed during ‘Operation Mahadev’ had been active in the valley since 2023. They would attack and then hide in dense forests until receiving further instructions to strike again.
This same module was responsible for an attack on an army convoy in Poonch district on December 21, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of five soldiers. On May 4, 2024, an air force convoy was attacked in the Shahsitar-Sanai area of Poonch, leading to one soldier’s death. On June 9, 2024, terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying pilgrims returning from Shiv Khori in Reasi district. All these attacks were claimed by ‘The Resistance Front’ of Lashkar-e-Taiba.
An official noted that the modus operandi of these attacks was similar. The three terrorists had infiltrated and were hiding in the valley, frequently moving around. They conducted attacks at regular intervals and relied on dense forests to evade security forces. Being completely acclimatized to the valley environment, they had become accustomed to launching attacks in areas like Gagangeer and Pahalgam.
Mobile data recovered during ‘Operation Mahadev’ revealed the methodology behind these attacks and their interconnectedness. The terrorists of ‘The Resistance Front’ were being directed by a Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, Sajid Jatt, also known as Ali Bhai, through encrypted communication channels.
Jatt, also referred to as ‘Langda,’ was listed among the most wanted terrorists and was tasked with reactivating terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
An officer from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) stated that he played a key role in orchestrating operations for ‘The Resistance Front’ and had successfully executed several operations in the valley.
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