Pahalgam attack mastermind Suleiman Shah killed in fierce encounter
By : Sandhya
Suleiman Shah alias Asif, the alleged mastermind of the Pahalgam terror attack, was killed on Monday, along with two of his associates, during an encounter in Srinagar.
According to a PTI report, Suleiman was among the three terrorists killed in a joint action, codenamed Operation Mahadev. The joint operation was carried out by the Indian Army and the Jammu and Kashmir police earlier in the day.
The report, citing top security officials, said that the encounter began around 11 am on Monday in the Lidwas area near Dara, close to Dachigam National Park. The security forces acted after receiving a tip-off indicating the presence of foreign terrorists in the region.
The name 'Operation Mahadev' is derived from the location of the gunfight, which took place between the Zabarwan and Mahadev ridges. The other two terrorists killed in the gunfight have been identified as Jibran – who was allegedly involved in the Sonamarg Tunnel attack last year – and Hamza Afghani, the PTI report said.
Army's Chinar Corps said that three terrorists were neutralised in an intense firefight, adding that additional reinforcements and surveillance were deployed to support the ground forces.