Man arrested for assisting Pahalgam terrorists; met them four times, handed them phone charger
During interrogation, Katari revealed that he had met the terrorists on multiple occasions in the Zabarwan hills outside Srinagar.
PTC News Desk: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested an Over Ground Worker (OGW) for assisting the April 22 Pahalgam attack terrorists. He had met them four times and handed them an Android phone charger, a key evidence which ultimately led to his capture, officials here said on Sunday.
Mohammad Yousuf Katari, 26 was arrested in the last week of September for allegedly providing key logical support to Sulieman alias Asif, Jibran, and Hamza Afghani, the three terrorists who gunned down 26 people, mostly tourists, in the resort town of Pahalgam.
During interrogation, Katari revealed that he had met the terrorists on multiple occasions in the Zabarwan hills outside Srinagar.
The breakthrough came after an extensive forensic analysis of evidence collected from the site of Operation Mahadev — a counter-terror mission launched in July that led to the killing of three terrorists involved in the Pahalgam massacre. The operation took place in the foothills of the Zabarwan Range, on the outskirts of Srinagar. Investigators traced suspect Katari after examining a partially destroyed Android phone charger recovered from the scene.
Srinagar police managed to identify the charger’s original owner, who revealed that he had sold the phone to a dealer. This information eventually led authorities to Katari.
Officials stated that Katari, who reportedly taught nomadic students in the higher mountain regions, was an important aide to the terror group. He allegedly provided the charger and guided the militants through the difficult terrain.
The slain terrorists — Sulieman alias Asif (the Pahalgam attack mastermind), Jibran (linked to the October 2024 Sonamarg Tunnel attack), and Hamza Afghani — were killed on July 29 during the Operation Mahadev encounter.
While officials have withheld further details due to the ongoing investigation, they described Katari’s arrest as a major development in dismantling the terror support network in Kashmir. They also indicated that the case might be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is already investigating the broader conspiracy behind the Pahalgam attack.
So far, the NIA has arrested two individuals accused of providing logistical assistance and shelter to the terrorists involved in the April 22 attack.