Pahalgam Plotters Eliminated: Indian Home Minister Amit Shah Says Lashkar Commanders Behind Massacre Killed

India's Home Minister Amit Shah told Parliament on Tuesday that the three terrorists responsible for the April 22 massacre in Pahalgam have been eliminated in a swift, coordinated joint operation. Speaking during the Lok Sabha debate on Operation Sindoor, Shah said Suleman, Afghani, and Jibran--all top operatives of Lashkar-e-Taiba--were neutralised on Monday by Indian security forces.

Image Source: Sansad TV

“These are the same terrorists who killed civilians in Baisaran Valley. Suleman was a key commander responsible for both Pahalgam and Gagangir attacks,” Shah said, adding that multiple layers of forensic and human intelligence confirmed their identities. 

He also detailed the recovery of Pakistani documents, weapons, and ammunition from the site.

The Indian Army officially confirmed the operation through its Chinar Corps, stating that it was carried out jointly by the Army’s elite para units, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police in the Mulnar area near Dachigam National Park. 

According to the Army, the encounter site yielded two AK-series rifles, one M4 carbine, and a stockpile of warlike stores.

All three terrorists were identified as Pakistani nationals. Jibran, in particular, was also linked to last year’s attack at the Sonamarg Tunnel. Detained local collaborators were flown in to confirm the identities of the deceased, and ballistic tests have since matched the weapons used to the cartridges recovered at the Pahalgam crime scene.

Army officials said Operation Mahadev marks a significant blow to cross-border terror infrastructure and reflects the commitment of Indian forces to restore security and peace in the Kashmir Valley. 

The operation is ongoing, with search efforts extended across nearby forested areas.