Operations Sindoor, Mahadev sent strong message to terror masterminds: Amit Shah

New Delhi, Aug 27 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that two major security operations, Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev, have sent an unmistakable message to the architects of terrorism that there will be consequences for targeting Indian citizens.

Shah said that while Operation Sindoor "brought satisfaction among the people", Operation Mahadev transformed that satisfaction into "confidence".

The home minister said this while honouring 12 members of the Army, who successfully carried out Operation Mahadev and neutralised terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack. Four personnel, two each from Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF, were also honoured for being a part of the operation.

The two operations were a direct response to a brutal attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists.

"Whether from the ruling party or the Opposition, everyone felt joy and enthusiasm about operations Sindoor and Mahadev, and expressed gratitude towards the security forces," Shah said.

This very trust in national security is the foundation of India's aspiration to achieve the highest position in the world in every field, he added.

On May 7, the armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, a large-scale military action targeting hideouts of banned Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba terror outfits in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Operation Mahadev, launched immediately after the Pahalgam massacre, met with success on July 28 when the Army's elite para commandos neutralised mastermind, Sulieman alias Asif, and two of his associates, Jibran and Hamza Afghani.

The operation was launched after a technical signal detected the use of a satellite phone by the perpetrators.

"Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev have sent a clear message to the masterminds of terror about the consequences of playing with the lives of Indian citizens," Shah said.

The security forces have shown the world that no matter how many tactics or strategies terrorists may adopt, they can no longer hurt India and escape, the home minister said.

The forensic lab of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has confirmed that the terrorists killed on July 28 were indeed the perpetrators of the Pahalgam massacre.

Shah added that the Pahalgam attack, which occurred during the peak of the tourism season in Kashmir, was a failed attempt to "derail the 'Kashmir Mission'".

The home minister also said that alongside the Army and the paramilitary forces, the Jammu and Kashmir Police now plays a leading role in the fight against terrorism.

"On behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the entire nation, I congratulate the security forces for strengthening the sense of security in the hearts of Indian citizens," he added. PTI ACB SKL KVK KVK