Union Home Minister Amit Shah made the announcement in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday morning that three terrorists involved in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir have been neutralized by security forces.
The high-level counterterrorism operation, designated as Operation Mahadev, was conducted by a combined team of the Indian Army, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Speaking on the current Operation Sindoor debate, Shah disclosed that the terrorists — Suleiman, Afghan, and Gibran — were all high-value targets. Suleiman was a leading commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, while Afghan and Gibran were also "A-category" militants, he said.
"I wish to tell the Parliament and the nation that those people who massacred our innocent citizens in Baisaran Valley have been neutralized. These three were among the attackers, and they have been shot dead," Shah announced, appreciating the security personnel for their accurate fulfillment of the mission.
The Home Minister remembered having flown directly to Srinagar after the April attack and presided over urgent security briefings to allow for quick retaliation. "We moved quickly to prevent these terrorists from fleeing to Pakistan," he said.
Shah explained the chain of intelligence and operational actions that resulted in the meeting. The Intelligence Bureau, he said, received valid human intelligence on May 22 that suggested terrorists were hiding in Dachigam close to Srinagar. The Army and IB monitored their movement using sophisticated intercept devices. They confirmed their presence in July, and on July 22, the joint operation was initiated, resulting in the killing of the three militants.
Describing how their direct role in the Pahalgam massacre was proven, Shah explained, "The NIA had already arrested people who had given shelter to these terrorists. The arrested persons were utilized by the police to identify the dead bodies when they were brought to Srinagar."
Forensic evidence also established their link to the attack. Shah detailed, "Weapons seized from the location — one M9 rifle and two AK-47s — were taken to Chandigarh's Central Forensic Science Laboratory on a special flight. There, we created fresh bullet casings from the recovered rifles. These were then compared with bullet shells picked up at the Pahalgam location."
Holding the ballistic report in hand, Shah continued, “Six independent scientists cross-verified the match and confirmed to me via video call that the bullet trajectories matched perfectly. The bullets fired in Pahalgam were a 100 per cent match with those fired from the recovered rifles.”
Home Minister credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the overall counterterrorism achievement, saying, "Modi-ji eliminated the masterminds in Operation Sindoor. And now, our troops have killed the foot soldiers too."
He expressed disappointment at the Opposition’s reaction to the announcement. “I expected that the entire House would welcome this development. But look at their faces — not even a flicker of satisfaction. What sort of politics is this? The killers of our people are dead, and you’re still unhappy?”
Shah further confirmed that the three militants were of Pakistani origin. “Two locals who helped them have been arrested,” he added. Jumping quickly to the defense of Congress leader and ex-Home Minister P. Chidambaram's statement doubting Pakistan's role, Shah retorted, "What is he attempting to convey by giving a clean chit to Pakistan? We have irrefutable proof — ranging from Pakistani voter cards belonging to two of the terrorists to even Pakistan-made chocolates on their bodies. Still in the presence of the entire world, a former Home Minister of India gives a clean chit to Pakistan.". It's shameful."
The comments provoked a furore in Parliament, with Opposition MPs vociferously protesting Shah's allegations. However, the government remained insistent on its position, recalling Operation Mahadev as a pivotal victory against cross-border terrorism.
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