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Op Mahadev: 3 Pak terrorists neutralised in Dachigam forest encounter in Srinagar
Bodies of the three Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists being brought from encounter spot, while defence minister Rajnath Singh opened discussion on Op Sindoor, India’s military response to Pahalgam terror attack, in Lok Sabha.
Three Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists from Pakistan were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Harwan area near Dachigam National Park of Srinagar on Monday afternoon.
Srinagar senior superintendent of police GV Sundeep Chakravarty said that the three terrorists were Pakistani nationals and belonged to the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba. He, however, did not confirm if they had a role in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead. “We are identifying them and ascertaining that (their role in the Baisaran meadow), “ he said.
Earlier, the Chinar Corps of the Indian Army posted on its official X account that Operation Mahadev is underway between Indian Army personnel and “high-value foreign terrorists” in the dense Dachigam forest.
Along with the Indian Army, teams from the CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police are also involved in Operation Mahadev.
Latest reports said that the security forces intercepted movement of the terrorists in the upper reaches of Dachigam forest.
The bodies of the terrorists are being brought from the encounter spot. While there is no official word of their role in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, reports said that the terrorists were involved in major attacks on Indian soil. Defence sources said the encounter began at 11am.
Drones had also been deployed for surveillance.
The operation has been named after the 13,000-ft Mahadev mountain, the highest peak in the Zabarwan range, near the Dachigam National Park and is known for its natural beauty and trekking trails.
The encounter took place hours before defence minister Rajnath Singh opened the discussion on Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, in the Lok Sabha on Monday. He will be followed by external affairs minister S Jaishankar, BJP vice-president Baijayant Panda, and party MPs Tejaswi Surya, Sanjay Jaiswal, Anurag Thakur, and Kamaljeet Sehrawat.
The opposition parties have been demanding a discussion on Operation Sindoor and raising questions over the government’s action. Deputy leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, will lead the opposition’s discussion. He will be aided by other Congress MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Deepender Hooda, Praneet Shinde, Saptagiri Ulaka, and Bijendra Ola.
