Pahalgam attack terrorists narrowly escape capture four times, states report

Security forces have ramped up cordon and search operations around Pahalgam since the attack

Security forces have reportedly come close to catching the terrorists behind the April 22 Pahalgam attack several times over the past six days, but they have managed to escape each time.

The perpetrators, according to sources cited in an Indian Express report — four terrorists, including two believed to be Pakistani nationals — were spotted at least four times across different locations in South Kashmir. Despite locating them through a combination of intelligence inputs, tip-offs from locals, and combing operations, dense forest cover has repeatedly enabled the terrorists to slip away, it has been learnt from the report.

Security forces, including the Army, Central Armed Police Forces, and Jammu and Kashmir Police, have ramped up cordon and search operations around Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district since the attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists, in the Baisaran meadow.

The report further states that the first sighting reportedly took place near Hapat Nar village in Anantnag’s Pahalgam tehsil. The terrorists, however, had managed to evade the search teams by exploiting the difficult terrain. Following this, they were engaged in a brief exchange of fire with security personnel in Kulgam forests, but again escaped.

More recent intelligence suggests the group moved towards the Tral ridge and later into the Kokernag area, where search operations are currently focused, according to the report citing sources.

Officials, cited in the Indian Express report, said the terrorists have been exercising extreme caution in securing supplies, making the operation even tougher.

Amid the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi on April 27 to discuss the military response and assess the security situation.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Army posts resorted to unprovoked small arms fire across the Line of Control (LoC), for the fourth day in a row, during the intervening night of April 27 and 28, further escalating tensions.