Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on Tuesday, gave details about ‘Operation Mahadev’ on the floor of the Lok Sabha during the second day of discussion on ‘Operation Sindoor’, claiming that three terrorists involved in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, have been gunned down by the armed forces in a joint operation on Monday. Providing a detailed account of evidence that ‘conclusively’ links the terrorists involved in Pahalgam terror attack to Pakistan. The attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives, mostly tourists, in the scenic Baisaran Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, has been a focal point of national outrage and diplomatic tensions.
Concrete Evidence Unveiled
Shah presented a list of evidence to counter claims, notably from Congress leader P. Chidambaram, who had questioned whether the attackers were “homegrown” or from Pakistan. “Yesterday, former Home Minister Chidambaram ji raised the question- what is the proof that the terrorists came from Pakistan? I want to ask him, what will you get by saving Pakistan?” Shah stated, emphasising the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
The evidence cited by Shah included:
1. Pakistani Voter IDs: Shah revealed that security forces recovered voter ID numbers belonging to two of the three terrorists killed in Operation Mahadev. “We have the voter ID numbers of the terrorists, which clearly establish their Pakistani nationality,” he said
2. Weapons and Ammunition: Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) reports confirmed that the rifles and cartridges recovered from the terrorists matched those used in the Pahalgam attack. “The rifles seized from the terrorists in Operation Mahadev were matched with the FSL reports of the cartridges from the April 22 attack,” Shah explained.
3. Pakistani-Origin Items: Among the items found at the terrorists’ hideout were wrappers of chocolates manufactured in Pakistan. “Even the chocolates they carried screamed their origin,” Shah remarked, using the detail to emphasise the ‘undeniable’ links to Pakistan.
4. Detained Accomplices: Shah noted that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had arrested individuals who provided shelter and food to the terrorists. “Those who fed them and gave them shelter were detained earlier. When the terrorists’ bodies were brought to Srinagar, these accomplices identified them as the ones who carried out the Pahalgam attack,” he said.
Operation Mahadev
The Home Minister detailed the success of Operation Mahadev, a joint operation by the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Jammu and Kashmir Police, which resulted in the elimination of three terrorists on July 28, 2025, in the Harwan jungles near Dachigam. The terrorists, identified as Suleman Shah (alias Hashim Musa), Afghan, and Jibran, were all linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Shah described Suleman Shah as a former Pakistan Army commando from the elite Special Service Group (SSG), who had joined LeT to orchestrate terror activities in Kashmir.
“These terrorists were high-value targets. Suleman Shah was an A-category commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba, and his elimination is a significant blow to their network,” Shah told Parliament. He added that the operation was launched after intelligence tracked a Chinese ultra-radio communication device, monitored since April 22, 2025, which revealed the terrorists’ location.
Rebutting Opposition Claims
“Opposition had been asking what happened to the terrorists, well we have gunned them down. Forces ne thok dala…”, Shah’s address was particularly pointed in response to Chidambaram’s remarks in an interview with The Quint, where the Congress leader suggested the attackers could be local militants. “When he says this, it means they are giving a clean chit to Pakistan,” Shah said, questioning the opposition’s motives. “I was expecting that when they hear this news of the killing of the Pahalgam terrorists, they will be happy, but instead, their faces are smeared with ink,” he added, expressing disappointment at the opposition’s reaction.
The Home Minister emphasised that the government’s actions were driven by a commitment to justice for the victims. “I met the affected families after the attack. I saw a woman who had been widowed just six days after her wedding. I can never forget that scene,” Shah recounted, underscoring the emotional weight of the tragedy. “I want to tell all families today that Modi ji neutralised those who sent the terrorists, and our security forces killed those who committed the killings.”
