The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday announced the arrest of a 26-year-old man linked to the devastating terror strike in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, including that of a Nepalese tourist, on April 22.
Officials confirmed that the accused, identified as Mohammad Yousuf Katari, was taken into custody following a tip-off from South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
Who Is Mohammad Yousuf Katari?
Katari, a teacher by profession, is alleged to have doubled as an Over Ground Worker (OGW) in Kulgam, aiding terror groups with critical support. Investigators believe he had ties with the Pakistan-based outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
According to police sources, Katari played a role in offering logistical assistance to the militants who carried out the Pahalgam attack. Those attackers were later neutralised in Operation Mahadev, a prolonged counter-terror mission.
The police zeroed in on Katari after analyzing weapons and equipment recovered from the LeT operatives killed during the operation.
Operation Mahadev: Weeks-Long Hunt
Operation Mahadev began on May 22 after intelligence inputs suggested the presence of terrorists in the Dachigam area near Srinagar. The mission culminated with the killing of three militants, including the alleged mastermind of the Pahalgam attack.
Security forces recovered AK-47 and M9 assault rifles from their hideout. Forensic tests conducted at a Chandigarh laboratory later confirmed that the weapons had been used in the Pahalgam massacre.
The Pahalgam Massacre
On April 22, terrorists struck at Baisaran in Pahalgam, a scenic meadow often called ‘Mini Switzerland.’ The attack left 25 tourists, 24 from India and one from Nepal, and a local resident dead. Among the victims were an Indian Navy officer and an Intelligence Bureau official.
The assault marked the deadliest terror strike in Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama attack. A shadow outfit of LeT, The Resistance Front (TRF), claimed responsibility.
Operation Sindoor: India’s Response
In retaliation, the Indian Air Force launched precision strikes on the intervening night of May 6 and 7. Codenamed Operation Sindoor, the mission targeted nine terror bases across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), destroying key infrastructure.
The strikes triggered three nights of intense exchanges, with Pakistan launching counter-offensives. Finally, on May 10, both nations agreed to cease all military actions across land, air, and sea starting from 5 p.m.
