In a significant counter-terror success, Indian security forces neutralised three suspected terrorists in an intense encounter in the Lidwas area of Srinagar on Monday morning. The operation, dubbed ‘Operation Mahadev’, was a joint mission carried out by the Indian Army, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the Jammu and Kashmir Police, following credible intelligence inputs.

The terrorists are believed to have been involved in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians, including a Nepali national, lost their lives. According to defence sources, the slain militants were reportedly affiliated with the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), although official identification is still underway. Drone footage from the encounter site showed the bodies of the terrorists, confirming their elimination.

The Indian Army’s Chinar Corps issued a statement confirming that three terrorists had been neutralised, and added that combing operations in the area are still ongoing to ensure complete sanitisation of the zone.

This encounter marks a critical response in the ongoing crackdown on cross-border terrorism following Operation Sindoor, India’s military retaliation against terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). The timing of the encounter is particularly significant as it coincides with a scheduled debate on Operation Sindoor in Parliament's monsoon session.

The April 22 attack in Pahalgam shocked the nation, with six heavily armed terrorists believed to have opened fire on tourists at Baisaran meadow, turning a popular picnic spot into a scene of horror. The attackers, backed by Pakistan-based handlers, targeted unarmed civilians, killing 26 and injuring many others.