Mega hunt in South Kashmir forests: How Indian security forces nearly cornered Pahalgam attackers in last five days

Indian soldiers trek back after a search operation around Baisaran meadow in the aftermath of an attack in Pahalgam, about 90kms from Srinagar on April 23, 2025. (AFP photo)

The mega manhunt launched by the security forces to nab the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack has turned into a close chase of cat and mouse.

The forces tracing the terrorists in the dense terrain of South Kashmir were able to spot the them four times in last five days, an Indian Express report said. It further added that the terrorists are moving at a quick pace and with great caution, which means little or no human intel inputs.

As per the IE report, the forces first spotted the terrorists in the forests close the Hapat Nar village in Anantang. Sometime later, the troops cornered them in the forests of Kulgam region. The attackers escaped despite heavy gunfire from the forces.

Subsequently, the attackers were seen in the Tral and then Kokernag range. The IE report says that the forces believe that the terrorists are currently moving in this region.

Since the April 22 attack that killed 27 tourists, the Indian Army along with local police has launched a massive search operation.

The IE report citing a security personnel said that the terrorists are moving in and around villages for food with great caution. At one instance, by the time the forces got the input of their presence in a village, the terrorists had fled the scene with food.

The report also adds that the gunmen had taken mobile phones of two tourists during the attack in the Baisaran meadow. Forces believe that these phones maybe used at some point to establish contact thereby giving them crucial tech intel.