Indian security maps Pahalgam attackers' journey; here's what they discovered
What's the story
Indian security agencies have identified the handler of the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack as Sajid Saifullah Jatt, a Lahore-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative. The identification came after "Operation Mahadev," which led to the killing of three terrorists in Srinagar's Dachigam area on July 28. The slain terrorists, Suleman Shah (alias Faizal Jatt), Abu Hamza (alias "Afghan"), and Yasir (alias "Jibran"), were confirmed to be Pakistani nationals and part of LeT, according to CNN-News18.
Evidence uncovered
Pakistani identification documents found with terrorists
Two of the attackers had Pakistani voter ID cards with serial numbers that linked them to voter rolls in Lahore and Gujranwala. "For the first time, we have government-issued Pakistani documents in hand that nail the nationality of the Pahalgam attackers beyond doubt," a senior official said. A microSD card recovered from a damaged satellite phone contained NADRA biometric data. The data showed they were Pakistani residents, with addresses in the Kasur district and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Route traced
GPS data, call logs establish movements, connections to Pakistan
Additionally, Pakistan-made chocolate wrappers were found with them as further proof of their origins. The terrorists are believed to have entered India near Gurez and were given shelter by two Kashmiri men—Parvaiz and Bashir Ahmad Jothar—in a hut near Pahalgam. The Kashmiri men later confessed to helping them. Furthermore, GPS data from a Garmin device, recovered from one of the terrorists, along with call logs from a Huawei satellite phone, established their movements and connections to operational control in Pakistan.
Evidence confirmed
Forensic evidence confirms involvement in Pahalgam attack
Forensic evidence, such as weapon-to-cartridge matching and mitochondrial profiling, has further confirmed their involvement in the Pahalgam attack. Documentary and testimonial evidence obtained during and after 'Operation Mahadev' indisputably reveals that all three assailants had been hiding in the Dachigam-Harwan forest region since the day of the attack, according to officials. They also clarified that no Kashmiris were part of the shooting team.
Pakistan reacts
Pakistan dismisses findings as 'fabrications'
The findings of Indian security agencies have been dismissed by Pakistan as "fabrications." "The account given by the Indian home minister is replete with fabrications, leading to serious questions about its credibility," Pakistan's foreign ministry said in a statement last week. The statement came after Union Home Minister Amit Shah told the Lok Sabha that the three terrorists killed during Operation Mahadev were also involved in the April attack on Hindu tourists in J&K's Pahalgam.