Pahalgam Massacre: Five Months On, Security Grid Nabs ‘Key Militant Aide’ 

SRINAGAR: Five months after the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 tourists in the Baisaran Valley, security forces on Wednesday said they had arrested a key aide accused of helping the militants behind the strike.

The accused, identified as 26-year-old Mohammad Yousuf Katari from Kulgam, was taken into custody by police and remanded to 14 days of police custody. According to officials, Katari provided critical logistical support to the attackers and played a significant role in facilitating the April assault.

Police sources said the arrest marks a breakthrough in the investigation into the attack, which had drawn widespread outrage for targeting tourists at one of Kashmir’s most popular destinations.

Earlier, three militants directly involved in the attack were killed during Operation Mahadev, a major counter-insurgency mission launched in the Pahalgam region on July 28. Security officials described that operation as a crucial step in dismantling the network behind the massacre.

In a related development, security forces uncovered and demolished a militant hideout in the Brinal forest area of Kulgam. The hideout, believed to have served as a logistical base, was destroyed in a controlled explosion. Among the items recovered were a gas cylinder and other supplies linked to militant activity.

Army sources said search operations continue in parts of South Kashmir to eliminate remaining modules and to prevent further attacks. “This arrest and the earlier elimination of the attackers are significant strides in neutralising the network responsible for the Pahalgam incident,” one senior officer said.

The April assault, one of the deadliest in recent years, has remained a flashpoint in the region, heightening security concerns in South Kashmir’s tourist belt. (With KINS inputs)