A detailed forensic analysis of weapons and electronic evidence recovered during Operation Mahadev has led security agencies to arrest a key suspect, Katari, believed to be part of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) support module operating across south and central Kashmir.
Charger clue cracks terror link
Katari was zeroed in on after investigators analysed equipment and weapons seized from the LeT terrorists killed during Operation Mahadev — a prolonged counter-terror operation launched on May 22 following intelligence inputs about militant presence in the Dachigam area near Srinagar.
The operation, which lasted several weeks, culminated in the killing of three foreign terrorists — Sulieman alias Asif, Jibran, and Hamza Afghani — including the mastermind of the Pahalgam attack. From their hideout in the foothills of the Zabarwan Range, security forces recovered AK-47 and M9 assault rifles, which were later sent to a forensic laboratory in Chandigarh. Ballistic analysis confirmed the weapons had been used in the Pahalgam killings.
Amid the debris of the encounter site, investigators recovered a partially damaged Android charger, which turned out to be a decisive piece of evidence. Forensic experts traced the charger’s serial number through the manufacturing and purchase trail, leading them to a Srinagar-based mobile dealer. Further investigation revealed that Katari had purchased the charger and later supplied it to the terrorists during one of their meetings in the Zabarwan hills, sources said.
Local network under scanner
Police officials said Katari had met the trio on at least four occasions, providing supplies, technical assistance, and guidance through forest routes. He also offered logistical support that helped militants navigate between safe houses and forest hideouts.
Investigators believe Katari was part of a local LeT support module based in south Kashmir’s Kulgam, which extended help to groups hiding in central Kashmir’s forested regions. His arrest has reportedly given police vital leads into the logistics chain that enabled the movement of foreign militants across districts.
Forensics strengthen anti-terror efforts
“The arrest shows how minute forensic evidence, when pursued systematically, can unravel an entire terror support network,” a senior officer said, adding that the case underscores the growing effectiveness of evidence-led policing in Jammu and Kashmir’s counter-terrorism operations.
Katari remains in custody as police continue to probe the broader LeT network involved in the Pahalgam attack, an assault that shook the Valley’s fragile sense of security and dealt a blow to its tourism sector.