Ops Mahadev Bust: OGW Arrested for Procuring Phone for Pahalgam Attackers, NIA to Probe

New Delhi: In a major crackdown on terror networks in the Kashmir Valley, Srinagar Police have arrested Mohammad Yousuf Katari, a 25-year-old Gujjar youth hailing from Kulgam, for his role as an overground worker (OGW) providing logistical support to terrorists neutralized in Operation Mahadev.

The joint operation by the Indian Army and Srinagar Police, conducted in the Dachigam belt, culminated in the elimination of three terrorists responsible for the devastating Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 innocent lives, sending shockwaves through the tourist-heavy area. Katari’s arrest marks a critical step in dismantling the support structure behind the attack. 

Police sources revealed that Katari was regularly in contact with the slain terrorists, operating in the Dachigam forest belt.

Tasked with aiding their covert communications, he was instructed to procure a ‘second-hand mobile phone’. Katari traveled to Nishat, on the outskirts of Srinagar, where he purchased the device for Rs 12,000 from a local shopkeeper.

The phone, later recovered from the terrorists during Operation Mahadev, had gone missing shortly after the purchase.

The shopkeeper, now a key witness, confirmed the transaction and identified Katari, with payment records and CCTV footage expected to strengthen the case against him.

Meanwhile, National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to take over the investigation to probe Katari’s broader role, including his involvement in the Pahalgam attack, the duration of his association with the terror module, and any additional support such as safe houses, supplies, or intelligence sharing he may have provided.

“Katari’s arrest disrupts a critical logistical chain that terror groups rely on for survival,” a senior police official said, speaking anonymously. “We are digging deeper into his network to prevent further radicalization.”

Pertinently, Mohammad Yousuf Kataria, son of Mir Mohammad Katarai, resident of Gujjar Dara Avil Manzgam, Kulgam, a seasonal teacher, is presently detained at Police Station Harwan.