Pahalgam Attack Plotter Hashim Musa Among 3 Terrorists Killed in Encounter: Sources

Pahalgam Attack Mastermind Hashim Musa Believed Killed in Army Operation Near Srinagar.

Hashim Musa, also known as Suleman — the alleged mastermind of the April Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people — is believed to have been killed along with two other terrorists in an encounter near Srinagar on Monday, according to top security sources.

The identities of all three militants, including Musa and suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives Abu Hamza alias Harris and Yasir, are yet to be officially confirmed.
Operation Mahadev Launched After Satellite Phone Intercept

The encounter unfolded during Operation Mahadev, launched by the Indian Army’s Special Forces in the Harwan forests near Dachigam, about 20 km from Srinagar city. Intelligence agencies had been tracking a satellite phone used in the Pahalgam attack. After months of silence, a call made from the device two days ago led forces to the suspected hideout.

According to officials, the device — a Huawei satellite phone — had been linked to Musa’s group. Once the location was pinpointed, troops moved in, triggering a fierce gun battle.

“We’ve seen three bodies at the site. Identification is underway. The operation is still ongoing,” said Kashmir IGP VK Birdi.

Tactical Hideout in the Mountains

Security officials say Musa had drastically changed his appearance in an effort to evade capture. He had lost weight and altered his hairstyle and beard to avoid recognition.

The Dachigam forest area, surrounded by high-altitude terrain and sparsely populated, has increasingly been used by terror groups as a strategic corridor connecting southern and central Kashmir. Its remoteness allows militants to move discreetly while sourcing food and supplies from nomadic communities under threat of force.
Arms and Supplies Recovered

Forces recovered a large cache of weapons and materials from the site, including:

• Two AK-series rifles
• One M4 carbine
• 17 under-barrel grenades
• Ammunition
• Warm clothing, utensils, and rations
• Significance of the Encounter

Security agencies have been conducting a major manhunt since the Pahalgam attack, which had stunned the Valley. This encounter is being seen as a breakthrough, pending official identification of the deceased.

The Army’s Chinar Corps posted on X, “Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation continues.”