By ABDULLAH July 28, 2025 – Tensions in the disputed Kashmir region have intensified after Indian security forces reportedly launched Operation Mahadev, a covert military campaign aimed at quelling dissent in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). According to Pakistani and regional security sources, the operation is designed to mask the failure of India’s earlier military initiative, Operation Sindoor, and suppress the growing freedom movement in the region.
The controversial move has drawn sharp criticism due to allegations that Operation Mahadev involves fake encounters—the staged killing of individuals illegally detained by Indian forces, presented as terrorists to the media and public.
On Monday, July 28, 2025, the Indian army announced it had neutralized three suspected militants during a fierce gunfight in the Dachigam National Park, about 30km east of Srinagar. Indian media linked the men to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which resulted in 26 deaths and triggered a brief but deadly military conflict between India and Pakistan. However, no official identification or confirmation of their involvement has been released by the Indian military.
A police source told AFP that the three killed were “foreigners,” hinting at cross-border infiltration—an allegation consistently denied by Pakistan. The firefight took place near the Amarnath Hindu shrine, coinciding with a major religious pilgrimage attracting over 350,000 visitors.
Reports emerging from Pakistani intelligence sources claim that Operation Mahadev is part of a deliberate disinformation strategy by the Indian government. Under this plan, Pakistani nationals already detained in Indian jails—including 56 individuals allegedly held without charge—could be used in staged encounters. The Director General of ISPR (Inter-Services Public Relations), Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, revealed in press briefings on April 29 and 30 that 723 Pakistani citizens are currently imprisoned in India, many without due legal process.
The aim, according to these sources, is twofold:
- Restore domestic political credibility for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration following recent military setbacks.
- Suppress the freedom movement in Kashmir through fear, propaganda, and the elimination of perceived dissidents.
Images and videos of the killed detainees, accompanied by planted weapons, have allegedly been distributed to Indian media outlets to reinforce the narrative of successful anti-terror operations.
- April 22, 2025: A deadly attack in Pahalgam kills 26 people. India blames The Resistance Front (TRF), which is later designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S.
- April 24, 2025: Two Pakistani civilians, Muhammad Farooq and Muhammad Din, are reportedly killed after accidentally crossing the border—suspected to be part of India’s fake encounter campaign.
- May 2025: A brief but intense 87-hour military conflict erupts between India and Pakistan. Pakistani forces reportedly downed six Indian fighter jets and dozens of drones. A ceasefire was declared on May 10, which the U.S. claimed to have brokered. India denied this, stating it had achieved all its objectives independently.
- July 28, 2025: India launches Operation Mahadev; three suspected rebels killed in Dachigam.
Opposition parties in India have criticized the Modi government, accusing it of intelligence failures and succumbing to foreign pressure, particularly in the context of ending the May conflict. Meanwhile, Pakistan has called for international scrutiny and independent investigations into alleged human rights abuses and staged killings in Kashmir.
Security analysts warn that Operation Mahadev represents a dangerous escalation. If proven true, the use of forcibly detained civilians in fake military operations could have severe humanitarian and geopolitical consequences.
The launch of Operation Mahadev marks a troubling chapter in the decades-long Kashmir conflict. With rising allegations of human rights violations, propaganda warfare, and a dangerous militarization of narrative, the region stands on a knife’s edge. As global powers call for restraint, transparency, and dialogue, the lives of civilians—on both sides of the border—hang in the balance.