Rajesh Narwal, the father of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, a victim of the Pahalgam terror attack, has expressed that while Operation Mahadev brings a sense of closure, it is not a complete one. Lt. Vinay Narwal was among the 26 people, mostly tourists, killed in the brutal attack that occurred on April 22 in Baisaran valley near the popular tourist destination of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district.

Operation Mahadev, a joint effort by the Indian Army, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police, resulted in the elimination of three terrorists in the Harwan area, near Dachigam National Park in Srinagar. The operation took place on Monday. The terrorists were identified as Suleiman alias Faizal, Afghani, and Jibran. According to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, all three were "A-category" members of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Suleiman was identified as the lead perpetrator of the Pahalgam massacre and was a former Pakistani special forces commando.

Rajesh Narwal lauded the courage and efforts of the armed forces, paramilitary forces, and the J&K Police in carrying out the operation. He acknowledged the difficult terrain and conditions under which the operation was conducted. "I am thankful to our armed forces, paramilitary forces, and J&K Police. I salute their courage and valour," he stated. He also condemned the killings of innocent civilians in the Pahalgam attack. "Innocent civilians were killed in front of their families by asking their religion. I condemn this barbaric act. I express my sympathies to the families who lost their loved ones," Narwal said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed the Lok Sabha that the terrorists were killed during Operation Mahadev. He detailed the chronology of the mission, stating that it began on the night of the Pahalgam terror attack. The Intelligence Bureau (IB) received inputs on May 22 that terrorists were present in certain areas, and from May 22 to July 22, continuous efforts were made to verify this information. On July 22, the presence of terrorists in the area was confirmed through sensors, leading to the joint operation.

Evidence recovered from the slain terrorists included Pakistani voter IDs, chocolates made in Pakistan, and weapons. Ballistic tests conducted at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Chandigarh confirmed that the weapons matched those used in the Pahalgam attack. The bodies of the terrorists were identified by individuals, including those arrested earlier by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for providing shelter to the terrorists.

While Operation Mahadev is seen as a significant step in avenging the Pahalgam attack and delivering justice, Rajesh Narwal's sentiment reflects the enduring pain and loss suffered by the families of the victims.