In a significant breakthrough, security agencies on Wednesday arrested a man from Kashmir for his alleged involvement in providing logistical support to the terrorists responsible for the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, which killed 25 tourists.
The arrested individual has been identified as Mohammad Yousuf Kataria, a 26-year-old resident of Kulgam and a member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group. He has been remanded to 14 days of police custody.
Official sources told Media that Kataria’s arrest followed the analysis of weapons recovered during ‘Operation Mahadev’. Investigations revealed that Kataria, who held a contractual job and also worked as a tutor, came into contact with terrorists a few months ago. He is accused of assisting the LeT operatives in navigating the forest areas of Kulgam in the months leading up to the attack in Baisaran Valley that claimed 26 lives.
Authorities are continuing their investigation to uncover the entire support network, including past movements, hideouts, and assistance from Overground Workers (OGWs) that the attackers received after infiltrating into Jammu and Kashmir.
In a related development earlier this July, security forces eliminated three terrorists top Lashkar commander Suleiman Shah, Afghan, and Jibran during Operation Mahadev. These individuals were identified as the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack by two arrested suspects, Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, who had provided them shelter.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah subsequently confirmed in Parliament that the three slain terrorists were Pakistani nationals responsible for the Pahalgam carnage, dismissing suggestions that they were “home-grown.”
The April 22 attack saw four heavily-armed terrorists target Hindu men in Baisaran Valley after confirming their religion. This incident triggered a major military response from India, which launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ precision airstrikes on terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7, resulting in the destruction of nine terror camps and over 100 terrorist casualties.
