Terror associate arrested in Kupwara
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 28: Three terrorists including a top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Lidwas forest area of Harwan in Srinagar outskirts today.
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An official said that a joint anti-terror operation, “Operation Mahadev”, was launched by the Army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police in the upper reaches of Harwan. He said that the operation was launched few days ago after inputs about presence of a group of terrorists in the Mahadev forest area.
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“The terrorists present there opened fire which was retaliated to, triggering a gunfight which led to the elimination of three terrorists,” an official said.
One of the slain terrorists has been identified as Suleiman Shah, a top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander and mastermind of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 people, mostly tourists dead.
The other two terrorists killed are believed to be Abu Hamza and Jibran, both foreign terrorists.
However, there is no official confirmation from Army or police regarding the groups link with Pahalgam attack.
An M4, 2 AK-47 rifles, magazines, 17 UBL grenades and other arms and explosives were recovered from their possession.
Earlier in the day, the Army’s Chinar Corps confirmed the operation in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“OP MAHADEV: Contact established in the general area of Lidwas. Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation continues. #Kashmir”@ ChinarcorpsIA”
In the meantime, security forces today apprehended a terrorist associate during a joint cordon and search operation (CASO) in village Marsary, Chowkibal, Kralpora area of Kupwara.
A statement issued here said that the operation was jointly launched by 05 PARA, 160 Territorial Army, 98 Bn CRPF, Special Operations Group (SOG) Kralpora, and Police Station Kralpora based on specific intelligence inputs regarding the movement of a terrorist associate in the area.
“During the operation, one individual identified as Wali Mohd Mir son of Mohd Sadiq Mir of Marsary was apprehended. Upon search, a huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from his possession,” the statement said.
The recovered arms and ammunition include one AK-56 rifle, 03 AK-56 magazines, 1150 rounds of AK-56 ammunition and 17 UBGL grenades.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the apprehended individual was working as a terrorist Associate for proscribed terrorist outfits and was involved in facilitating the movement of arms and ammunition to active terrorists in the region,” the statement said.
“Accordingly, FIR No. 53/2025 under relevant provisions of law has been registered at Police Station Kralpora, and further investigation is underway.”
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