Five months after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 tourists in the Baisaran Valley, security forces on Wednesday said they had achieved a major breakthrough by arresting a key aide.
According to official sources, police arrested a Kashmir-based man accused of assisting the attackers. The accused, identified as 26-year-old Mohammad Yousuf Katari from Kulgam, is alleged to have provided crucial logistical support to the terrorists. He has been remanded to 14 days of police custody.
Police sources said Katari played a significant role in facilitating the Baisaran attack. Earlier, three terrorists directly involved in the assault were eliminated during Operation Mahadev, a counter-terror mission carried out in the Pahalgam region on July 28, 2025. The operation was described as a key step in dismantling the terror network behind the attack.
In a related action, security forces uncovered and destroyed a terrorist hideout in the Brinal forest area of Kulgam district. The site, believed to have been used as a logistical base, was demolished in a controlled explosion. Items recovered included a gas cylinder and other supplies linked to militant activity.
According to Army sources, an extensive search operation is continuing in the area to rule out further threats and to gather intelligence on remaining terror modules active in South Kashmir.(KINS)
