Indian Forces Eliminate 3 Pakistani Terrorists Behind Kashmir Attack – Union Minister Confirms Cross-Border Plot Foiled
Indian security forces have killed 3 Pakistani terrorists linked to a recent Kashmir attack, Union Minister confirms. The operation marks a swift retaliation against cross-border infiltratio
NEW DELHI, July 29 (Reuters) – Indian forces have killed three Pakistanis involved in the April attack on Hindu tourists in the Jammu and Kashmir federal territory in which 26 men were shot dead, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday.
The attackers, who New Delhi said were Pakistani nationals backed by Islamabad, had opened fire in a valley popular with tourists in Kashmir’s scenic, mountainous region of Pahalgam, before fleeing into the surrounding pine forests.
The attack led New Delhi to target what it called “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir, leading to four days of intense fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours before they agreed to a ceasefire.
“I want to tell … the entire nation that these were the three terrorists who killed our citizens … and now all three have been killed,” Shah told parliament during a discussion on the India-Pakistan conflict.
The three were killed in an intense gun battle in a Kashmir forest on Monday, the Indian army said.
Pakistan has denied involvement in the attack – the worst assault on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks – and sought an independent investigation.
Amit Shah said that India had a “lot of proof” that the dead “terrorists” were Pakistanis as security forces had recovered Pakistani voter identity cards of two of them and chocolates made in Pakistan.
Forensic tests showed that the rifles they had with them were used in the April attack, he added.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Shah’s remarks.
The Himalayan region of Kashmir is at the heart of the hostility between India and Pakistan, who have fought two of their three wars over the region, which they both claim in full but rule in part.
New Delhi accuses Islamabad of helping Islamist separatists battling security forces in its part of Kashmir, but Pakistan says it only provides diplomatic and moral support to Kashmiris seeking self determination.
In a swift and decisive counterterrorism operation, Indian security forces have eliminated three Pakistani terrorists who were allegedly responsible for a recent deadly attack in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai confirmed on Monday. The operation is being hailed as a significant success in India’s ongoing fight against cross-border terrorism in the region.
The targeted encounter took place late Sunday night in the Kupwara district of North Kashmir, near the Line of Control (LoC), an area frequently used by militants to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied territory. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a joint team comprising personnel from the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search operation.
According to officials, the terrorists opened fire on the security team, triggering a fierce gunfight that lasted several hours. All three militants were neutralized in the encounter. A cache of automatic rifles, grenades, and Pakistan-made communication equipment was recovered from the site.
“Based on concrete evidence, we have confirmed that these three terrorists were Pakistani nationals and were directly involved in planning and executing the recent terror strike in Kashmir,” Minister Nityanand Rai said during a press briefing in New Delhi.
The counter-operation comes just days after a coordinated terror attack in Poonch district killed five Indian soldiers and injured several others. The ambush, which targeted a military convoy in a forested area, was widely condemned as a heinous provocation by cross-border terrorist groups.
According to intelligence agencies, the group behind that attack had infiltrated from across the LoC and was being assisted by local overground workers (OGWs). Surveillance footage, intercepted communication, and recovered equipment reportedly helped trace the movement of the perpetrators, leading security forces to their hideout in Kupwara.
Indian officials have linked the killed terrorists to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based terrorist organization proscribed internationally. “These militants were not acting in isolation. They were trained, armed, and directed from across the border,” said a senior Army official stationed in Srinagar. He added that the operation sent a “clear message to hostile elements.”
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is expected to lodge a formal protest with Islamabad, reiterating its stance that Pakistan must dismantle terror infrastructure operating from its soil.
The encounter has drawn widespread reactions from Indian political leaders and defense experts. Home Minister Amit Shah praised the bravery of the forces, stating, “The sacrifice of our soldiers will not go in vain. Every drop of their blood will be avenged.”
Defense analysts view the operation as part of India’s zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism, particularly in Kashmir, where infiltration attempts have reportedly increased during the summer months.
“This encounter highlights India’s improved counterinsurgency intelligence and quick response capabilities,” said Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain. “More importantly, it signals India’s resolve not to let Pakistan-sponsored terror go unanswered.”
While the three militants have been neutralized, the operation is far from over. Security agencies have now intensified efforts to locate and arrest local collaborators, believed to have provided shelter, logistics, and intelligence to the infiltrators.
Police have detained several suspects in the Kupwara and Baramulla districts. Officials are also scanning recent call data records (CDRs) and money transfers to track any financial links between cross-border handlers and Kashmiri overground networks.
Read Also : Dengue Outbreak in Bengaluru: 442 Cases in Just 30 Days – BBMP Issues High Alert Across City
