In a significant development, the Srinagar police got a big breakthrough in the Pahalgam terror attack crackdown, and have arrested a key Lashkar operative who provided logistic support to the terrorists involved in the barbaric April 22 attack.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested Mohammed Yousuf Katari, 26 years old, a key operative linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), for providing logistical support to the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack.
This breakthrough came from forensic analysis of weapons seized during “Operation Mahadev” in July 2025.
Katari's Aid To Terrorists
Kataria allegedly supplied essential logistical aid, including food, shelter, and other resources, to the terrorists in the lead-up to the April 22 terror attack.
His involvement was uncovered through a detailed examination of recovered arms and ammunition, linking him directly to the LeT module responsible.
Police described him as a local overground worker (OGW) for LeT. Kataria operated in the Anantnag-Pahalgam region.
Police sources indicate he was not one of the direct shooters but played a crucial supportive role, similar to other arrested accomplices.
The arrest took place in the Anantnag area following a tip-off and surveillance. No resistance was reported, and Kataria is currently in the custody of the police and is being interrogated.
He is arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for aiding terrorism.
Authorities informed, “Srinagar Police have arrested an OGW from South Kashmir, identified as Mohd Yousuf Katari (26) of Kulgam. He had a role in providing logistical support to terrorists killed in Operation Mahadev on 28 July. The killed terrorists in Operation Madhav were responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack.”
This arrest is part of an ongoing investigation by Jammu and Kashmir Police in coordination with the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Hundreds of former OGWs and ex-terrorists have been interrogated since the attack.
It’s the third local arrest linked to the Pahalgam attack. Before Katari, NIA arrested Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar (from Batkote, Pahalgam) and Bashir Ahmad Jothar (from Hill Park, Pahalgam) for harboring the three main Pakistani LeT terrorists at a seasonal hut (dhok) in Hill Park before the attack. They allegedly provided shelter, food, and logistical support, and their disclosures helped identify the attackers as Pakistani nationals affiliated with LeT. Subsequently, both were charged under Section 19 of UAPA.
A special NIA court in Jammu extended its judicial custody by 45 days beyond the 90-day limit to allow further probe. Pending evidence includes mobile data analysis linked to Pakistani numbers, forensic reports from CFSL Chandigarh and NFSU Gandhinagar, and DNA profiling of seized items like blankets and bedsheets to confirm links to the terrorists.
The NIA has re-registered the case (RC-02/2025/NIA/JMU) and confirmed all three primary attackers were Pakistani LeT members who infiltrated years ago. All those three terrorists were killed later on July 28 in 'Operation Mahadev' conducted in the Dachigam forests.
Operation Mahadev
Operation Mahadev was a counter-terrorism mission led jointly by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which resulted in the elimination of three top LeT terrorists, including the mastermind of the Pahalgam attack, in the Mulnar area of Harwan near the Dachigam National Park.
The three LeT terrorists who were eliminated also included Sulleman, the Pahalgam attack mastermind.
Pahalgam Terror Attack
The April 22 attack happened in the Baisaran Valley meadow near Pahalgam town in Anantnag district and resulted in 26 deaths and 16 injuries, marking it as one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in the region in recent years.
