SRINAGAR, August 4 – Indian security agencies have confirmed that the three terrorists killed in the recent Dachigam encounter were Pakistani nationals, based on official documents issued by Pakistan and biometric data, senior officials said on Monday.
The militants were linked to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadow, which claimed 26 lives. Identified as senior operatives of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), they were tracked down and killed in a joint security operation code-named ‘Mahadev’ on July 28 in the Dachigam forest, near Srinagar.
Investigators recovered Pakistani identity documents and other material evidence from the slain terrorists. Biometric data further confirmed their foreign origin, ruling out the presence of any local among the group.
Officials say the three had infiltrated from across the Line of Control and had been hiding in the forest belt between Dachigam and Harwan for several months following the Pahalgam attack.
The confirmation comes amid growing concerns in India over cross-border terrorism and Islamabad’s continued denial of involvement, even as Pakistani-origin fighters have repeatedly been found at the center of recent attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.