Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed Parliament on Monday that the three terrorists involved in the recent Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir have been killed in a joint security operation. The operation, dubbed "Operation Mahadev," was a joint effort by the Indian Army, CRPF, and J&K Police.
Shah addressed the Lok Sabha, stating that the three terrorists, Suleman, Afghan, and Jibran, were eliminated. He added that individuals who had been supplying them with food were detained earlier. After the bodies of the terrorists were transported to Srinagar, the detainees identified them.
The Home Minister also mentioned that four people involved in the attack who were in NIA custody were shown the slain terrorists' bodies for confirmation. Forensic ballistic reports and live ammunition tests from Pahalgam verified that the weapons found on the terrorists matched those used in the attack. According to Shah, 1,055 individuals were questioned for 3,000 hours during the investigation. The probe team identified two overground workers who provided shelter to the three terrorists after the attack, and these OGWs are currently in custody.
Shah recounted meeting with the families affected by the Pahalgam attack and expressed his resolve to bring the perpetrators to justice. He stated that the government has neutralized those who sent the terrorists and that security forces killed those who committed the killings.
Taking a swipe at the opposition, Shah expressed disappointment over their reaction to the killing of the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack. He said that he expected them to be happy about the news.
The Pahalgam attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor have been subjects of intense debate in Parliament. Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that Operation Sindoor was only "paused" and that military action would resume if Pakistan engaged in any fresh misadventure.
The killed terrorists were identified as A-grade terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba. One of the terrorists, Suleman, had a direct role in the Pahalgam assault. The TRF, believed to be a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has been involved in multiple attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, including the Pahalgam ambush that killed five Indian soldiers.