Srinagar, Jul 28: Security forces on Monday killed three terrorists during a fierce encounter in the Lidwas area around the Mahadev mountain peak of the Dachigam forest range, located on the outskirts of Srinagar.
The operation, codenamed ‘Operation Mahadev’, was launched in the upper reaches of Harwan following intelligence inputs suggesting the presence of terrorists in the area.
The operation was carried out by 4 Para, 24 Rashtriya Rifles, and J&K Police in dense forests of Dachigam, and the contact was established on Monday morning.
The operation came over three months after the Pahalgam attack, which brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war as India responded with Operation Sindoor, resulting in a four-day intense military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed countries.
The encounter began at around 11 am on Monday after specific intelligence inputs indicated the presence of foreign terrorists in the region.
The operation unfolded in the dense forest terrain between the Zabarwan and Mahadev ridges, giving the operation its name.
The Chirar Corps of the Army said that the operation against the terrorists was underway.
“Three terrorists have been killed and we are ascertaining their identity,” a senior Police officer said. “All of them seem to be foreigners.”
Kashmir Zone Police in a post on microblogging site X posted, “Op Mahadev: The identification of the neutralised #terrorists is being done! Please await further details @JmuKmrPolice.”
According to the Army’s 15 Corps, contact was established early in the morning, leading to an intense gunfight in the densely forested area.
“Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation continues,” the Army said in a post on X.
The encounter site lies in a strategically significant area within the Dachigam forest range, which borders south Kashmir’s Anantnag district through Pahalgam on one side and Ganderbal district on the other.
Officials say the terrorists may have used these routes to traverse Kashmir undetected.
While the identities of the slain terrorists are yet to be confirmed, security officials suspect they may be linked to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 persons were killed.
Speaking to the media persons, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Zone, Vidhi Kumar Birdi, confirmed the recovery of three bodies from the encounter site.
“The operation is still ongoing. While three bodies have been observed, we will not disclose any further details until proper identification is completed,” he said.
The Army recovered a significant cache of arms and ammunition from the encounter site, including one US-made carbine, one AK-47 rifle, 17 rifle grenades, and other war-like stores.
In addition, a makeshift hideout was discovered deep in the woods, where terrorists had stored food supplies and cooking utensils, indicating that the group had been stationed in the forests.
“The presence of such logistics and weaponry indicates they were hardcore terrorists. It’s a major success for the security forces,” Army officials said.
Earlier this year, similar encounters in Shopian and Awantipora had also resulted in the deaths of three terrorists in each incident, showing a continued push by security forces to root out terrorist networks in Kashmir.
As the operation remains ongoing, officials said that the identification process and further investigation would determine the full scope of the activities of these terrorists and whether they were directly involved in the Pahalgam killings.
Security agencies have vowed to continue their crackdown on terrorists in the area.
“Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, #ArmyCdrNC compliments #ChinarCorps for their swift action and precise execution in neutralising three terrorists in the ongoing operation #Mahadev in the area #Lidwas. #IndianArmy stands by its commitment to keep #JammuKashmir terror-free. #NationFirst #IndianArmy @adgpi @HQ_IDS_India @ChinarcorpsIA,” Northern Command-Indian Army said in a post on X.
