14 Days, 1 Mission, Mahadev Peak: How Pahalgam Mastermind Was Hunted Down

The security forces in Jammu and Kashmir avenged the Pahalgam attack today after hunting down the mastermind, Suleiman Shah, alias Hashim Musa, in an encounter in Srinagar. Codenamed Operation Mahadev, three terrorists were killed in an encounter that was planned meticulously for several days before execution.

Suleiman Shah, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, is a former commando of the Pakistan Army's elite unit - Special Service Group (SSG). He later joined UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed's LeT to carry out terror activities, sources told NDTV.

How Force Planned Op Mahadev

The operation was named after Mahadev Peak in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar. The terrorists were hiding in the dense forests in the foothills of Mahadev peak. Sources told NDTV that the security forces were keeping a physical and electronic surveillance. The Army received suspicious communication in Early July. 

Read more: Pahalgam Mastermind Suleiman Shah Was Ex Commando Of Pak Army's Elite Unit

The forces got a clue about a Chinese ultra radio communication being active, after which the operation was carried out. The Lashkar-e-Taiba uses the Chinese radio for encrypted messages. The forces zeroed in on the Dachigam forests, which were suspected to be the hideout of the Pahalgam terrorists. The peak is at a high altitude, with terrorists reportedly trained in jungle warfare.

The security forces tracked Lashkar and Jaishn terrorists for 14 days before executing the operation. The Lashkar-e-Taiba uses the Chinese radio for encrypted messages, and in 2016, it was also called WY SMS

All the terrorists, it is learnt, were "high-value" targets and foreign nationals. According to reports, the security forces acted on an intelligence input and launched the operation in the Mulnar area of Harwan. Reinforcements have been rushed to the area, and a combing exercise is on.

NDTV has also accessed a photo of the terrorist hideout that was targeted in Operation Mahadev. The visuals show multiple guns in the hideout located deep inside a forest area. According to sources, Carbine and AK-47 rifles, 17 rifle grenades and other arms and ammunition were recovered during the encounter. Security forces suspect that the terrorists were planning a big action in Jammu and Kashmir.