Damaged phone charger leads to fresh arrest in Pahalgam terror attack case
Mohammad Yousuf Katari arrested for aiding terrorists involved in Pahalgam attack; damaged phone charger recovered during Operation Mahadev leads to breakthrough
A 26-year-old man, who was arrested in the last week of September for allegedly helping the three terrorists who killed 26 people in Pahalgam in April, met them at least four times and handed them an Android phone charger, sleuths have revealed.
Mohammad Yousuf Katari, an Over Ground Worker (OGW), was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police for allegedly providing crucial logistical support to Sulieman alias Asif, Jibran, and Hamza Afghani.
On Sunday (October 5), officials said they zeroed in on Katari after examining a partially destroyed Android mobile phone charger, one of the several items recovered during Operation Mahadev, a counter-terror operation launched in July, which resulted in the killing of the three above-named terrorists in the foothills of the Zabarwan Range.
Also Read: ‘Not America’s fight’: Kirk opposed US role in India-Pakistan conflict, Operation Sindoor
A key resource
The Srinagar police tracked down the original owner of the charger, who confirmed selling the phone to a dealer, a piece of information that led the police to Katari.
Officials said that Katari, who reportedly taught nomadic students in the higher reaches, had been a key resource for the terror group. His assistance was believed to have included providing the charger and guiding the attackers through the difficult terrain.
During the interrogation, Katari reportedly told the police that he had met the three on four occasions in the Zabarwan hills outside Srinagar city. His arrest came after weeks of investigation.
Also Read: Political dimensions of Omar’s J-K statehood signature campaign | Capital Beat
Operation Mahadev
The terrorists — Sulieman alias Asif, a mastermind of the Pahalgam attack, Jibran, who was linked to the October 2024 Sonamarg Tunnel attack; and Hamza Afghani — were killed on July 29 in an encounter under Operation Mahadev.
Officials declined to give further details, citing the ongoing investigation. The arrest has been seen as a significant step in dismantling the terror support network functioning in the Kashmir valley.
They indicated that the case may ultimately be transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has already been probing the larger conspiracy of the Pahalgam attack. The NIA has so far arrested two people in connection with the April 22 terror attack for allegedly providing logistical support and shelter to terrorists.
(With agency inputs)