In a major breakthrough in the Pahalgam terror attack, the police have arrested a 26-year-old Kulgam resident Yousuf Kataria for providing logistical support to the terrorists. Kataria is a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist and is now sent on a 14-day police custody following his arrest. As per reports, he provided logistical support to the terrorist who was killed in Dachigam forest during Operation Mahadev that our forces carried out to snuff out terrorists.
Reports say that Kataria worked as a contractual job and also taught local children. He came in contact with terrorists and helped in their movement. He assisted the Lashkar terrorists in navigating through forest in Kulgam months before the Pahalgam terror attack. As of now the investigating agencies are also trying to uncover the hideouts, past movements of terrorists and overground workers who helped the terrorists in carrying out the Pahalgam attack.
Earlier in June, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had said that it has arrested two persons, Parvaiz Ahmad Jodhar and Bashir Ahmad Jodhar, who had provided shelter and logistical support to the terrorists. In July, when Indian forces carried out Operation Mahadev, top Lashkar commanders, Suleiman Shah, Afghan and Jibran were killed. These had provided shelter to the terrorists who carried out the Pahalgam attack. All three belonged to Pakistan.
Pahalgam terror attack
On 22nd April, 2025, terrorists associated with The Resistance Force, an offshoot of the Pakistan based Islamist terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba carried out a terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Jammu & Kashmir. 26 civilians were killed in the attack where the terrorists asked the victims their religion before killing them.
Following the terror attack, on May 7, 2025, India carried out Operation Sindoor to avenge the killings and destroyed at least nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. In response, Pakistan launched drone attack on India targeting civilians to which India gave a befitting reply. Four days later, India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire but India has maintained that with Pakistan which harbours terrorists that carry out terror attack on Indian soil, Operation Sindoor is the new normal and established policy. Terror and talks cannot go together, blood and water cannot flow together, as PM Modi said.
