Operation Mahadev: Pahalgam Attack Mastermind Hashim Musa Among Three Terrorists Slain, Huawei Phone Use Suspected

During Monday’s operation in the Harwan forests near Dachigam in Jammu and Kashmir, called 'Operation Mahadev', one of the terrorists killed has been identified to be Hashim Musa alias Suleiman, widely regarded as the mastermind behind the Pahalgam attack.

Hashim Musa, a former Pakistani para commando who later turned to terrorism, was said to be the chief architect of the 22 April Pahalgam assault that claimed the lives of 28 civilians.

With training from Pakistan’s special forces and close ties to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Musa orchestrated the coordinated attacks that deliberately targeted tourists in Kashmir.

"Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation Continues," Srinagar-based Chinar Corps of the Army had announced in an update about Operation Mahadev on X.

According to a CNN-News18 report, a communication device that had been under close watch since the Pahalgam terror attack may have exposed the Dachigam hideout where security forces carried out a major operation on Monday.

Top security sources were cited as saying that a suspicious call was traced from the device just two days ago, immediately triggering red flags.

The information was swiftly developed into actionable intelligence, leading to a search operation deep within the Dachigam forest, an area devoid of human habitation.

Investigators had long suspected that a Huawei satellite phone was used by the terrorists involved in the attack.

The device had remained inactive for months until the recent call brought it back on the radar of intelligence agencies.

While the process of retrieving the bodies from the steep Dachigam terrain is expected to take time, authorities are employing drone photography to confirm identities.

“These photos will be shown to the arrested harbourers to identify the killed terrorist,” senior officials were quoted as saying.

Also Read: Big Setback For Pakistan As US Designates Lashkar Proxy Behind Pahalgam Terror Attack As Terrorist Organisation