Op Sindoor debate: Top quotes from Amit Shah’s LS address — from ‘3 Pahalgam terrorists killed’ to ‘proof that they are from Pakistan’

Operation Mahadev was carried out jointly by Army, CRPF, and J-K Police on Monday. In a post on X at 1:32 pm, the Army’s Chinar Corps wrote: “Op Mahadev update: Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation continues.”

Here’s a round-up of top quotes from his address

📌 3 slain terrorists identified: “Suleiman was a LET commander, and was involved in the Gagangeer attack. Our forces have evidence on it. These three were involved, and all three have been killed. Through this House, I thank the security personnel involved,” said Shah.

Last month, The Indian Express reported that the National Investigation Agency had concluded that all three Pahalgam attackers were from Pakistan. This was a departure from what was previously believed about the identities of the attackers. Two days after the attack, the J&K police had released three sketches — Pakistan nationals Hashim Musa and Ali Bhai alias Talha, and Kashmir local Adil Hussain Thoker.

📌 Proof: “We are responsible because we are in government… I was sad that former home minister Chidambaram raised questions about the identity of the terrorists – where they came from. I would like to tell him that we have proof that they were from Pakistan. We have voter numbers too. These rifles are also there. The chocolates found with them are also manufactured in Pakistan”.

📌 Details of what happened on April 22: “They are saying only Rahul Gandhi went there. At 1 pm, the attack happened, and at 5.30 pm I was there. On April 23, a security meeting happened… The first decision was that those who were involved in the killings should not escape to Pakistan. And we made arrangements for that. On May 22, there was human intelligence, and information was received of the presence of terrorists… On July 22, we got success, and it was confirmed that these terrorists were there,” Shah said, providing details of the Pahalgam attack in his address.

📌 On success of Operation Mahadev: “Yesterday’s operation saw the death of three who killed our citizens… NIA had kept those who helped these terrorists in custody, and they confirmed that these three were the ones who conducted the terror attack in Pahalgam. We didn’t believe this either. Cartridges recovered at the site of attack, were analysed, and a ballistic report was prepared. Three rifles were recovered yesterday – one M9 American rifle and two AK-47s. These rifles were sent to Chandigarh, and the cartridges were matched. Then, it was fixed that these three rifles were used to kill our people.”

📌 To kin of Pahalgam terror attack victims: “I had gone there to meet the families… I would like to tell them all that through Operation Sindoor, all those who sent the terrorists were killed and those who came here have also been killed,” said Shah, addressing the families of the 26 people who lost their lives on April 22.

📌 Hitting out at the opposition, especially the Congress, Shah said: “Through Operation Sindoor, the handlers of these terrorists were killed. I will tell you how their bosses were killed. I had hoped that when this information is shared, there would be happiness across the board. Are you not happy that terrorists were killed?”

📌 On P Chidambaram’s remarks: In his address, the Home Minister slammed the opposition as “those seeking proof of terrorists being from Pakistan”. “They say they were not from Pakistan. This means that a former home minister is giving a clean chit to Pakistan… By saying this, Mr Chidambaram is also raising questions on why we attacked Pakistan… The former home minister asks for proof. This conspiracy to save Pakistan is exposed in front of 130 crore Indians,” said Shah.

Identities of the terrorists killed

Naming the slain terrorists, the Home Minister said they were killed in the Dachigam forest area.

One of the three was identified as Suleiman alias Faisal, a ‘Category A’ Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander involved in the Pahalgam attack. He was also involved in the killing of seven employees of a firm constructing the Z-Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Sonamarg highway on October 20 last year.

The other two were identified as Afghan and Jibran. Both Grade A terrorists who had come from Pakistan, Shah added.