J&K Police Honoured for ‘Operation Mahadev’: Top Officers Lead The Charge in Avenging Pahalgam Terror

IG Birdi, DIG Omprakash, and SSP G. V. Sundeep Chakraborty Among 20 Awardees for Elite Counter-Terror Operation

• Twenty J&K Police officers, including IG Kashmir Vidhi Kumar Birdi, DIG Central Kashmir Pande Rajiv Omprakash, and SSP Srinagar V. Sundeep Chakraborty, received the ‘Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak’ for their role in ‘Operation Mahadev.’
• ‘Operation Mahadev’ successfully eliminated three Pakistani terrorists, including Sulieman alias Asif, the mastermind of the April 22 Pahalgam Terror Attack, through a joint effort involving the IB, Indian Army, and Kashmir Police.
• The high-risk counter-terror operation, which spanned from May 22 to July 22, involved meticulous intelligence gathering and precision execution in the Dachigam National Park area, ensuring no collateral damage.

Harpreet Singh

Jammu, October 31, 2025: Twenty brave officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Police have been bestowed with the prestigious ‘Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak’ by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for their exceptional courage and strategic prowess in ‘Operation Mahadev.’ This high-risk counter-terror operation successfully eliminated three Pakistani terrorists, including the mastermind behind the April 22 Pahalgam Terror Attack, just three months after the gruesome incident that claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians.

The distinguished list of awardees includes Inspector General (IG) Kashmir Vidhi Kumar Birdi, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Central Kashmir Pande Rajiv Omprakash, and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar G. V. Sundeep Chakraborty, underscoring the pivotal roles played by top-tier leadership in planning and executing this critical mission.

SSP Srinagar G. V. Sundeep Chakraborty played a crucial role, contributing significantly to the operational success that led to the neutralization of the Pahalgam attack perpetrators.

‘Operation Mahadev’ was launched on May 22, 2025, following a critical human intelligence input received by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) regarding the presence of terrorists in the Dachigam area. For two arduous months, from May 22 to July 22, the IB and the Indian Army meticulously worked to confirm this intelligence and capture ultra-communication device signals within the dense forests near Dachigam National Park in Srinagar district. Their persistence paid off on July 22, when advanced sensors finally confirmed the terrorists’ presence, setting the stage for the daring operation.

The execution of ‘Operation Mahadev’ was a testament to seamless coordination between the Special Forces of the Indian Army – specifically four Para units – and the elite CARGO Anti Terror Units of the Kashmir Police. This joint effort culminated in a decisive engagement that led to the neutralization of all three Pakistani terrorists without any collateral damage to the forces. Among those eliminated was Sulieman alias Asif, the mastermind of the horrific Pahalgam Attack, along with his accomplices, Jibran and Hamza Afghani. Jibran was also implicated in the Sonamarg Tunnel Attack in October 2024. Security Forces recovered an M4 Carbine Rifle, two AK Rifles, and other munitions from the slain terrorists.

Other key police personnel honored with the ‘Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak’ include SP Cargo Tanweer Ahmed Dar, SP Zoheb Tanveer, DSP Vikram Nag, DSP Mubashir Naiz, DSP Shakir Hassan, Inspector Taseer Hamid, SI Anchal Singh, SI Firoz Ahmad Dar, ASI Basharat Rasool Shah, ASI Mohammed Shafi, HC Javed Ahmed, HC Sandeep Khujuria, SGCT Varun Singh, SGCT Mehmood Khan, CT Suhail Abbas, and CT Basharat Qadir. The collective recognition of these officers highlights the multi-layered dedication and precision involved in ‘Operation Mahadev,’ which successfully brought justice to the victims of the Pahalgam Terror Attack and further strengthened the resolve against terrorism in the Union Territory.