Three militants killed in Harwan encounter, Operation Mahadev still underway: Officials

SRINAGAR — Three militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Lidwas forest area of Harwan in Srinagar outskirts on Monday.

Officials told the news agency KNO that a joint anti-militancy operation was launched by the Army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police under the code-name ‘Operation Mahadev’ in the upper reaches of Harwan.

“Security forces, on a tip-off, cordoned dense Mulnar forests near Mahadev. The terrorists present there opened fire, which was retaliated to, triggering a gunfight which led to the elimination of three terrorists,” they added.

Moreover, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vidhi Kumar Birdi, confirmed the killing of the militants. “As per initial reports, three bodies have been spotted, and they appear to be neutralised. However, identification is underway,” IGP Birdi told reporters.

However, sources said that one of the slain militants has been identified as Suleiman Shah, a top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander and mastermind of the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead.

They said the other two militants killed are believed to be Abu Hamza and Jibran, both foreign militants and reportedly linked to the same Pahalgam strike.

Moreover, no official confirmation has been received from the Army or Police regarding the group’s link with the Pahalgam attack, and they are likely to speak on the details once the operation concludes.

About the recovery, sources also revealed that weapons recovered from the encounter site include Carbine, AK-47 rifles and other arms, indicating the group was preparing for a major strike.

Earlier in the day, the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps confirmed the operation in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

“OP MAHADEV: Contact established in the general area of Lidwas. Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation continues.”

In a separate development, the GOC, Chinar Corps, along with senior Army and CAPF officers, was scheduled to brief the media on Operation Mahadev at Udaan, Badami Bagh Cantonment, Srinagar, at 5:00 PM today. However, according to an update from PRO Defence Srinagar, the briefing was postponed due to new developments in the operation.

It says, a revised date and time will be communicated.

Meanwhile, the Lidwas area has witnessed a surge in anti-militancy operations recently and is considered a hotspot for militant activity, given its difficult terrain and forest cover.