NEW DELHI: In an official confirmation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has stated for the first time that three terrorists were directly involved in the brutal attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on 22 April this year, which claimed 26 lives.
According to NIA officials, the attackers specifically targeted the scenic Baisaran meadow, popularly known as ‘Mini Switzerland’, due to its high tourist footfall and relative isolation. The location was also chosen considering the anticipated response time of security forces, the agency said.
The attackers, affiliated with the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), indiscriminately killed male tourists in the area, many of whom were enjoying pony rides, dining near local eateries, or picnicking with their families, including children and elderly parents.
In June, the NIA arrested two men, Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote and Bashir Ahmad Jothar from Pahalgam, for providing shelter, food, and logistical support to the three LeT operatives. Their disclosures led to the identification of the attackers as Pakistani nationals.
The three terrorists were later killed in an encounter with Indian armed forces on 28 July in the Dachigam-Harwan forest belt as part of ‘Operation Mahadev’.
In response to the Pahalgam massacre, Indian forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ on 7 May, carrying out precision strikes on nine terrorist hideouts across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These included key infrastructure used by LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed, such as training camps and operational headquarters from where attacks on India were being planned.
The NIA continues to probe the wider conspiracy and support network behind the April attack.