In a decisive and coordinated response to the brutal terror attack in Pahalgam, Union Home Minister Amit Shah played a pivotal role in ensuring that the perpetrators were denied any possibility of fleeing the country. Within hours of the attack, Shah issued firm instructions to the security forces that the terrorists must not be allowed to return to Pakistan under any circumstances. Acting on this directive, Indian forces swiftly launched one of the most intensive counter-terrorism operations in recent years, sealing all possible escape routes and launching a calculated manhunt.
The first step taken by the security forces was to secure an eight-kilometre radius around the suspected movement corridors of the terrorists. All infiltration and exfiltration points, including underground tunnels previously used for cross-border movement, were systematically located and sealed. This strategy effectively confined the terrorists to a shrinking area, cutting off their options and exposing them to relentless pressure from Indian forces.
The operation that followed, codenamed Operation Mahadev, was executed with surgical precision by a joint team of the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Based on continuous intelligence gathering and electronic surveillance, the operation honed in on the forested terrain near Mahadev Hill in the Lidwas region, close to Dachigam.
What began as a large-scale cordon and search soon transformed into a high-intensity armed engagement. For nearly two weeks, the security forces pursued the terrorists across treacherous terrain, gradually encircling and tightening control over their movement. Intercepted communications and advanced tracking techniques, including electronic mapping of encrypted ultra-high frequency Chinese-made radios used by the terrorists, allowed Indian agencies to pinpoint their hideout. These encrypted communication systems, though difficult to intercept, left behind a trail through frequency mapping, a critical breakthrough in narrowing the search.
Eventually, the terrorists were cornered in the dense forests of Mahadev Hill, leading to a brief but fierce encounter. All three terrorists were neutralised in the operation, including the notorious Pakistani terrorist Sulaiman Shah, the mastermind behind the Pahalgam attack. Shah had a long history of terrorist involvement, having served previously in Pakistan’s Special Service Group (SSG) before joining Lashkar-e-Taiba. He is known to have infiltrated into India in 2023 and was linked to multiple high-profile attacks across Jammu and Kashmir, including the October 2024 assault on tunnel construction workers in Sonamarg and a deadly ambush on police in Baramulla.
Security forces recovered a substantial cache of weapons from the encounter site, including an AK-47, an American-made M4 carbine, seventeen grenade-launcher-compatible grenades, and fully loaded magazines. The scale and sophistication of the arsenal suggested that the terrorists were preparing for another large-scale strike.
Forensic examination confirmed that the weapons used in the Pahalgam attack, specifically the same rifles found during Operation Mahadev, were last fired at the group of 26 innocent tourists who fell victim to the April 22 attack. These ballistic confirmations further validated the identity and involvement of the slain terrorists.
Following the Pahalgam attack, a massive intelligence effort was launched across the region. Ground teams and technical surveillance units worked in tandem to track and decode movements and intentions. The coordinated effort uncovered significant evidence from the terrorists’ hideouts, including documents and digital traces pointing to plans for further strikes across the Kashmir Valley.
The elimination of the terrorists in Operation Mahadev marks a significant victory for Indian security forces. The operation was not only a demonstration of swift and decisive action but also a testament to the tight coordination between the armed forces and the government. At its core, it reflected the government’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism, rooted in clear political will and operational readiness.
Amit Shah’s firm directive that the terrorists must not be allowed to return to Pakistan fundamentally shaped the trajectory of the operation. His insistence on closing escape routes and putting maximum pressure on the attackers ensured that they were isolated, tracked, and neutralised without delay. By refusing to let the terrorists slip through the cracks, as has happened in the past, the operation sent a clear message: India will respond to terror with uncompromising resolve and unmatched precision.
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