Srinagar: In a major breakthrough, Srinagar Police have arrested a key Lashkar-e-Taiba (The Resistance Front) operative from South Kashmir’s Kulgam district for providing logistical support to terrorists involved in the recent Dachigam forest encounter, codenamed Operation Mahadev.
The accused, identified as 26-year-old Mohammad Yousuf Kataria, a seasonal teacher and resident of Kulgam, was allegedly supplying equipment and other logistical aid to LeT/TRF terrorists operating in Pahalgam.
Police said Kataria’s role was established after a detailed analysis of weapons and equipment recovered from the encounter site. He was subsequently arrested, produced before a court, and sent to judicial custody. Authorities added that the arrest represents a significant step in dismantling the support network for LeT/TRF operatives in South Kashmir.
The development comes months after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead. Terrorists had confirmed the victims’ religious identities before killing them at point-blank range. All those killed were men, an incident that shocked the entire nation.
In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on the intervening night of May 6 and 7, targeting terror infrastructure across the border in Pakistan. The offensive marked one of India’s strongest retaliatory actions against cross-border terrorism in recent years.
