First Arrest in Pahalgam Attack Case: J&K Police Nab Key TRF Operative Behind Terror Logistics

Mohammed Kataria's involvement was traced through an analysis of weapons recovered during Operation Mahadev. He has been sent to judicial custody and will be questioned by the National Investigation Agency. This is the first major arrest in the case.

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): In a major breakthrough, Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested an accused in connection with the Pahalgam terror attack. The man, identified as Mohammad Kataria, allegedly provided logistical support and weapons to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists. The arrest follows the analysis of equipment and weapons recovered from LeT terrorists killed during Operation Mahadev, which helped investigators trace Kataria’s involvement. Kataria, a resident of South Kashmir, was taken into custody by Srinagar police, produced in court, and sent to judicial custody. Officials have confirmed that further interrogation will be conducted as part of the ongoing probe led by the J&K Police and National Investigation Agency (NIA).

This is the first major arrest in the Pahalgam terror attack investigation since Operation Mahadev, which targeted several LeT operatives involved in planning and executing the attack. The breakthrough comes amid heightened security measures following previous counter-terror operations in the region, including Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror infrastructure across Pakistan.

What Was Operation Mahadev?

Operation Mahadev was a joint counter-terror operation conducted by the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the CRPF near Dachigam National Park in Srinagar. Launched following intelligence inputs about the presence of three foreign terrorists linked to the April Pahalgam massacre, the operation aimed to neutralize the threat and apprehend those responsible. Acting on signals intercepted two days earlier and corroborated by local nomads, security forces tracked the terrorists in the Lidwas area near Mount Mahadev. The terrorists attempted to escape, but after a brief and intense gunfight, all three were killed. The operation not only targeted the mastermind of the Pahalgam attack but also reinforced India’s ongoing efforts to dismantle terror networks in South Kashmir.