More than 26 tourists—primarily Hindu couples—were shot dead at Baisaran Valley, while attackers used rifles later traced to their weapons cache and asked victims to recite the Islamic declaration of faith, signalling deliberate targeting. After an initial claim of responsibility by TRF followed by a retraction days later, Indian agencies opened a national investigation. Witness testimony, ballistic matches, Pakistani ID evidence and the testimonies of two Pahalgam residents arrested for harboring the militants helped build the case. The victims’ identities, rifle serial matches and recovered paraphernalia solidified their link.
Authorities conducted “Operation Mahadev,” launching the mission at the end of May. Intelligence agencies had been monitoring suspicious satellite communication signals since early July, which prompted a large-scale combing operation in the rugged Dachigam area outside Srinagar. National Investigation Agency sources confirmed the intercept on July 11 ultimately led to deployment of troops including the 24 Rashtriya Rifles, 4 Para Commandos, CRPF and state police. In dense forest terrain, the team cornered the three men on July 29; they were killed in exchange of fire around 11:30 am local time. Weapons, grenades and food supplies were recovered.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed Parliament, stating the slain individuals were identified by multiple sources and forensic matches confirmed the same rifles used in the massacre were found on them. He condemned the targeting of civilians, particularly those killed because of their religion, and expressed condolences to the bereaved families. Shah reaffirmed India’s determination to pursue those responsible beyond its borders.
Two local residents, Parvaiz and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, arrested in late June under the Unlawful Activities Act for providing shelter to the attackers, disclosed the identities of the militants. They revealed the gunmen were Pakistani nationals affiliated with TRF, a proxy of Lashkar‑e‑Taiba. One of the operatives was reportedly a former commando of Pakistan’s Special Services Group, underscoring the high level of training behind the attack.
Global diplomatic responses leaned in India’s favour. The United States Department of State designated TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and Specially Designated Global Terrorist, affirming it operates as a front for Lashkar‑e‑Taiba. The move aligned with findings from the UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee Monitoring Team which flagged TRF’s involvement in the massacre and its coordination with Lashkar‑e‑Taiba. Several member states were cited as confirming that the April attack could not have occurred without LeT’s support.
Pakistan rejected allegations of direct involvement, calling the probe inconclusive and asserting that Lashkar‑e‑Taiba is defunct domestically, accusing India of exploiting the terror listing for propaganda. Islamabad urged for a neutral international investigation, but its assertions were widely dismissed as attempts to deflect accountability.
Victims’ families responded to the operation with mixed emotions. Sabari Guha, who lost her husband in the massacre, thanked the armed forces and law enforcement for their efforts, describing the operation as evidence that justice could be won through diligence. Others conveyed enduring grief, emphasising that no outcome could erase their trauma. While relief is felt, several relatives stressed that this marks only a step in a broader quest for justice and an end to cross‑border terrorism.
Larger implications of the incident continue to reverberate. The Pahalgam attack became the deadliest civilian massacre in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, reigniting scrutiny of counter‑terror readiness and security posture in the region. Internal reviews highlighted intelligence allocation failures: alerts about the possibility of an attack near Siri had not been acted on close enough to Pahalgam, diverting resources to unrelated locations and exposing a security lapse.