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Massacre, hunt, elimination: The 93-day operation to track Pahalgam attackers with Pak links
Last year this day, terrorists disguised as tourists entered the Baisaran meadows in J&K's Pahalgam through the surrounding forests and killed 26 people.
One of the deadliest attacks on civilians in recent years in India unfolded on April 22, 2025, in the picturesque meadows of Baisaran near Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, triggering a massive, months-long counterterrorism operation that culminated in the elimination of three terrorists deep inside the forests of Dachhigam.
Last year this day, terrorists disguised as tourists entered the Baisaran meadows through the surrounding forests. They were armed with automatic weapons and targeted the tourists based on their religion. The terrorist singled out men before shooting the non-Muslim tourists.
The fact that there was only a single entry and exit made the area a massacre ground for the innocent citizens. The dastardly act of cowardice left 26 people dead and 17 injured in an incident considered most horrific attack on civilians in India, since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Amid the chaos, an Indian Army officer on leave, Colonel Prashant Bhat, reportedly guided a group of tourists to safety through a gap in the fencing, saving multiple lives.
Immediate response and evacuation
Security forces responded swiftly. The Army, alongside CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police, launched evacuation and containment operations within hours.
"Fifteen Corps priority was an immediate response ensuring situation control, safety of civilians, evacuating the injured to the hospital, and chasing the perpetrators," said people familiar with the matter.
"The hunt of over 250 Km for over 93 days and siege of 300 Square Km finally zoomed in to an operational area of 25 Square Km box," people familiar with the matter said.
On July 28, a PARA (SF) unit tracked ground signatures deep into the forest and encountered the militants.
The intrepid PARA (SF) operator eliminated three hard-core terrorists bringing the perpetrators of the carnage to justice. All three attackers were killed in the ensuing firefight.
Forensic evidence and cross-border links
Weapons recovered from the site-including an M4 rifle and AK-series rifles-were forensically matched to the Pahalgam attack. Digital evidence further confirmed the attackers' Pakistani origin and links to handlers across the border.
The recovered mobile phones brought to fore that the Suleman Shah got clear directions from their handlers in Pakistan to undertake killing in Pahalgam, directing them to check IDs and kill Hindustanis only.
Army helicopters evacuated the critically injured, while troops administered first aid on the ground. Survivors later credited the swift response with preventing further casualties.
Identifying the attackers
Within 24 hours, intelligence agencies identified the suspects as three Pakistan-origin terrorists linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba.
“By late evening, based on HUMINT, TECHINT, and photo recognition by survivors, the identification of the terrorists was established as Sulaiman Shah, Hamza Afgani and Jibran Bhai,” the people said.
Sketches were prepared based on eyewitness accounts, and a massive manhunt was launched across South Kashmir.
The 93-day hunt
The pursuit that followed stretched over 93 days and covered more than 250 kilometers of rugged terrain. Forces deployed advanced surveillance tools, including drones and thermal imaging, while ground troops conducted relentless search operations.
The period galvanized all the intelligence agencies and operational forces into a singular entity working with absolute synergy, aimed at elimination of the perpetrators.
Despite multiple near-contacts, the terrorists managed to evade capture for weeks, exploiting dense forests and mountainous terrain across Lidder Valley, Tral, and eventually Dachhigam.
Final showdown in Dachhigam
By mid-July, intelligence inputs narrowed the terrorists' location to a 25 sq km zone in Dachhigam's dense forest. A coordinated operation involving Army special forces, intelligence agencies, and local police sealed off escape routes.
Investigators also recovered hundreds of files containing jihadi material and documents linked to Pakistani security institutions.
A coordinated effort
Officials credited the success of the operation-codenamed Op Mahadev-to seamless coordination between the Army, CRPF, J&K Police, and intelligence agencies.
Operation Mahadev was an outcome of perseverance, energy, unremitting dedication, synergy and clinical precision which brought the perpetrators of carnage to justice.
The operation not only neutralised those responsible but also underscored the evolving challenges of counterterrorism in Kashmir's complex terrain.
