The Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025, left the entire nation shaken. With 26 civilians, including tourists and children, killed in one of the most brutal terror strikes in recent memory, the Indian government launched a multi-agency manhunt unlike any in recent years. What followed was a three-month-long pursuit marked by high-tech surveillance, relentless tracking, and ultimately a surgical takedown on July 28, 2025. This is the inside story of India’s most intense counter-terror chase of the decade.
Phase 1: Initial Chaos and Coordinated Intelligence Gathering
Within hours of the Pahalgam ambush, central intelligence agencies, local police, and military intelligence began reconstructing the timeline. Eyewitness accounts, CCTV footage, mobile tower pings, and shell casing analysis formed the foundation of the first intelligence dossier. Ballistics confirmed the use of foreign-made rifles, while recovered grenades suggested a Pakistan-backed operation.
By April 25, initial suspects were named. Among them were Suleman alias Faizal Jatt, Hamza Afghani, and Jibran, known to have previous affiliations with Lashkar-e-Taiba. While these individuals had melted into the complex terrain of Jammu & Kashmir, India’s surveillance grid had already been activated.
Phase 2: High-Altitude Drones and Heat Signature Monitoring
In May and June, the hunt entered its second phase. Intelligence inputs indicated that the suspects were frequently shifting safehouses, using underground bunkers and shepherd routes in Kashmir Valley. To counter their movement, Indian forces deployed high-altitude ISR drones, heat-signature imaging, and night-vision capable UAVs.
A new AI-enabled module processed irregular heat patterns in uninhabited villages, helping pinpoint temporary hideouts. Parallelly, agencies tracked digital silence phones that hadn’t been used in weeks but suddenly switched on for seconds enough to triangulate potential zones. Using this data, dozens of covert teams were deployed across South Kashmir, each assigned to shadow suspects discreetly without triggering panic.
Phase 3: Communication Intercepts and Informant Breakthrough
By late June, two crucial breakthroughs turned the tide. First, a low-level courier was arrested near Pulwama, found carrying coded messages and cash. His interrogation helped confirm the identities and current operational aliases of the three fugitives. Second, a SIM card traced to a relative of one attacker was activated briefly in Srinagar outskirts unintentionally revealing a safe corridor frequently used by the group.
Combining human intelligence with surveillance data, Indian forces now had a triangulated zone near Srinagar. Heat signature movement in late July matched the three suspected profiles. The final trap was set.
Phase 4: July 28, 2025 – Operation Mahadev Begins
In the early hours of July 28, special forces of the Indian Army, backed by CRPF and J\&K Police, closed in on a discreet safehouse in the Nowhatta area of Srinagar. A three-hour standoff followed. Unlike large-scale operations, this was a precision strike the target was a single building, heavily reinforced, but surrounded by civilian homes.
Using fiber-optic scopes and real-time drone visuals, forces confirmed the presence of all three suspects. Once civilians were evacuated from nearby areas, commandos breached the location. All three terrorists were neutralized. Post-mission forensics matched their identities, weapons, and personal items to Pahalgam incident evidence.
Manhunt Timeline Summary
| Timeline Stage | Key Developments |
|---|---|
| April 22 – April 30 | Pahalgam attack occurs; preliminary intelligence identifies 3 suspects |
| May – June | High-altitude drones, heat mapping, informants deployed; pattern triangulated |
| Late June | Courier arrested, SIM intercept confirms zone of movement |
| July 20 – July 27 | Increased heat activity near Srinagar; final location locked |
| July 28, 2025 | Operation Mahadev executed; 3 terrorists killed in precision strike |
Conclusion: The 3-month chase for the Pahalgam attackers was a masterclass in patience, planning, and precision. From AI-based heat mapping to old-school informant networks, India fused technology with ground intelligence to close in on the nation’s most wanted. The final chapter, Operation Mahadev, wasn’t just a tactical win it was a message that no matter how far terrorists run or how deep they hide, justice will follow. India’s evolving counter-terror machinery proved its strength not just in firepower, but in discipline, coordination, and strategic depth.
Disclaimer: This report is based on officially released mission data, defense briefings, and ground-level operational summaries as of July 2025. Tactical details have been generalized for national security considerations.
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