New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Police have made a significant breakthrough in the investigation of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, arresting a man who allegedly provided logistical support to the perpetrators.
Mohammad Katari was taken into custody following meticulous forensic analysis of weapons and equipment recovered during July’s Operation Mahadev, which neutralized the terrorists responsible for killing 26 people at the Baisaran Valley tourist spot near Pahalgam. Katari will be produced in court and sent to judicial custody, officials confirmed.
Operation Mahadev itself was the culmination of weeks of painstaking intelligence work. Security forces tracked terrorists hiding in Dachigam near Srinagar starting May 22. Encrypted communications intercepted from the militants’ devices allowed authorities to pinpoint their movements. On July 28, the assault began with drones providing visual confirmation at 8 a.m., followed by the Rashtriya Rifles and Special Forces on the ground by 9:30 a.m.
Within hours, all three terrorists, including Suleiman Shah (alias Hashim Musa), the alleged mastermind, were neutralized. Shah, a former commando in Pakistan Army’s elite Special Service Group, had joined the Lashkar-e-Taiba and infiltrated India in September 2023. He had previously orchestrated deadly attacks, including one in October 2024 that killed seven civilians and another in Baramulla that claimed four security personnel.
Forensic evidence played a crucial role in linking Katari to the attack. Multiple weapons recovered during Operation Mahadev, including AK-47s and M9 assault rifles, were sent to a laboratory for ballistic analysis. The investigation confirmed that bullet shells fired from these rifles matched those found at the Pahalgam crime scene. Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated, “It was confirmed that these rifles were used to murder innocent civilians,” highlighting the thorough process that led to Katari’s arrest.
The Pahalgam attack, the deadliest in nearly two decades in the region, also triggered a severe diplomatic crisis with Pakistan. India responded by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and launching Operation Sindoor on May 7. Missile strikes targeted nine terror camps and training facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Islamabad’s retaliation through drone and missile attacks was successfully intercepted by Indian forces, with hostilities lasting 100 hours before a ceasefire. Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that India’s doctrine on responding to terror attacks had grown more assertive and precise.
The arrest of Mohammad Katari marks the first substantial breakthrough for security forces since Operation Mahadev, reinforcing the government’s commitment to pursuing every individual connected to the Pahalgam attack. Authorities have indicated that the investigation is ongoing, with the possibility of further arrests as forensic and intelligence leads continue to reveal the full network behind the atrocity.