Kulgam, Sep 24 (KNO): Security forces on Wednesday arrested a seasonal teacher turned Over-Ground Worker (OGW) in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district for his alleged role in providing logistical support to terrorists involved in April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 persons, mostly tourists dead.
The arrested person has been identified as Mohammad Yousuf Katari, of Manzgam Kulgam, an official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
He said that Katari was involved in providing logistical support to terrorists killed in the Operation Mahadev. “The accused was arrested after an analysis of weapons seized during July’s Operation Mahadev,” the official said as per KNO.
“Kataria, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (TRF) operative, was called in for questioning for two days, after which he was formally arrested,” he added.
It may be recalled that in one of the most gruesome attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistani terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists in Pahalgam on April 22, killing at least 26 people.
After two weeks, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ and destroyed nine terrorist camps deep inside Pakistan and PoK on May 7. The pre-dawn strikes, according to the officials left at least 100 terrorists dead.
Later, Operation Mahadev unfolded over weeks starting May 22, when security forces received intel about terrorists hiding in Dachigam near Srinagar. After weeks of observation – during which time the military intercepted encrypted comms on China-origin devices – the assault began July 28.
The security forces gunned down Sulieman alias Asif, the alleged mastermind of the April 22 attack, along with two of his aides, in an encounter at Mulnar in Harwan area near Dachigam National Park—(KNO)