Operation Mahadev: Ironclad Evidence Nails Pakistani Nationals in Pahalgam Terror Attack

Indian security agencies have amassed irrefutable evidence confirming that the three terrorists behind the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians in Baisaran meadow, were Pakistani nationals and senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives. Killed on July 28 during Operation Mahadev in Dachigam forest near Srinagar, the terrorists—identified as Suleman Shah (alias Faizal Jatt), Abu Hamza (alias Afghan), and Yasir (alias Jibran)—were linked to Pakistan through government-issued documents, biometric data, and forensic evidence, decisively debunking claims of local involvement.

The attack, one of the deadliest in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years, targeted tourists in the scenic Baisaran meadow, sparking a four-day India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025, which ended in a U.S.-brokered ceasefire after Pakistan’s Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos countered India’s Operation Sindoor. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing Parliament on July 29, declared, “For the first time, we have government-issued Pakistani documents that nail the nationality of the Pahalgam attackers beyond doubt.” The evidence, presented in a dossier tabled in the Lok Sabha, has intensified India’s accusations against Pakistan, which denies involvement.

Concrete Evidence of Pakistani Involvement

The post-encounter investigation under Operation Mahadev, a joint effort by the Indian Army, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police, uncovered a trove of evidence:

Also Read: PM Modi Hails Operation Sindoor’s Success in Varanasi, Credits Lord Shiva

• Pakistani Government Documents: Two laminated voter slips issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan were found on Shah and Hamza, with serial numbers matching electoral rolls in Lahore (NA-125) and Gujranwala (NA-79). A micro-SD card from a damaged Huawei satellite phone (IMEI 86761204-XXXXXX) contained NADRA biometric records—fingerprints, facial templates, and family trees—confirming the trio’s Pakistani citizenship and addresses in Changa Manga (Kasur district) and Koiyan village near Rawalakot, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

• Forensic and Ballistic Matches: The 7.62x39 mm shell casings from Baisaran matched the striation marks of three AK-103 rifles recovered from the terrorists, verified by Chandigarh’s Forensic Science Laboratory. Mitochondrial DNA from blood on a torn shirt at the attack site was identical to the DNA of the slain terrorists, solidifying their involvement.

• Digital and GPS Traces: The satellite phone pinged the Inmarsat-4 F1 satellite nightly from April 22 to July 25, allowing triangulation to a 4-square-kilometer area in Harwan forest. GPS waypoints from Shah’s Garmin device matched eyewitness-reported firing positions in Baisaran. Intercepted radio signals traced the terrorists’ infiltration via the Gurez sector in May 2022.

• Personal Items: Pakistani-manufactured ‘CandyLand’ and ‘ChocoMax’ chocolate wrappers, with lot numbers traced to a May 2024 consignment shipped to Muzaffarabad, PoK, were found in a rucksack with spare magazines. Additional items included a GoPro harness, a 28-watt solar charger, and a Swiss Military power bank, suggesting prolonged operations.

• Command Links: LeT’s south Kashmir operations chief, Sajid Saifullah Jatt from Changa Manga, Lahore, was identified as the handler, with voice samples from the satellite phone matching his intercepted calls. Rizwan Anees, LeT’s Rawalakot chief, organized funeral prayers for the attackers on July 29, captured on video and included in India’s dossier.

Operational Details and Local Support

The terrorists, all non-locals, infiltrated the Line of Control (LoC) in May 2022, sheltered by two Kashmiri helpers, Parvaiz and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, in a seasonal hut 2 km from Baisaran on April 21. The helpers, detained by the NIA, confessed to providing food and shelter. On April 22, the trio trekked to Baisaran, executed the attack at 2:30 p.m., and fled to Dachigam-Harwan forest, evading capture until July 28. Initial sketches released on April 24 misidentified the attackers due to a phone from an unrelated December 2024 shootout, a mistake later corrected by the NIA.

Broader Implications

The findings, detailed in a Home Ministry report, refute Pakistan’s claims, initially echoed by The Resistance Front, that locals conducted the attack. The evidence has strained India-Pakistan relations, with Shah criticizing opposition leaders like P. Chidambaram for questioning Pakistan’s role. Geo News, citing Pakistani sources, alleged India staged Operation Mahadev to frame detainees, a claim dismissed by Indian officials as propaganda. The UNSC’s report linking The Resistance Front to LeT further bolsters India’s case.

As Jammu and Kashmir braces for heightened security, Operation Mahadev underscores India’s resolve to combat cross-border terrorism, though the incident risks escalating regional tensions.

Also Read: Rajya Sabha debate: J P Nadda Slams Congress for Pak "Appeasement" During UPA Rule