NEW DELHI, June 24: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has made significant progress in its probe into the gruesome April 22 terror attack in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam valley, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people—mostly tourists—dead. According to an official release, the agency has gathered a substantial body of evidence revealing critical details about the terrorists involved.
The evidence includes eyewitness accounts from victims, video footage, technical data, and sketches provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Police. While the identities of the terrorists have not yet been publicly disclosed, the NIA confirmed that all gathered materials are currently under meticulous analysis. Further details will be made public at an appropriate time.
In a major breakthrough, two individuals—Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar of Batkote, Pahalgam, and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park, Pahalgam—were arrested for harbouring the terrorists involved in the attack. A Jammu court granted the NIA five-day custody of the accused on June 23. The next hearing is scheduled for June 27, 2025.
The NIA said that during interrogation, the accused disclosed the identities of the three armed assailants, confirming that they were Pakistani nationals and operatives of the proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The agency added that Parvaiz and Bashir had knowingly provided food, shelter, and logistical support to the terrorists at a seasonal dhok (hut) in Hill Park, Pahalgam, in the days leading up to the attack.
The attackers allegedly targeted their victims based on religious identity, which, according to the NIA, made the Pahalgam attack one of the most heinous and calculated acts of terrorism in the region’s recent history.
Political reactions have followed swiftly. BJP leader Shazia Ilmi, commenting on the investigation, said, “Just after Operation Sindoor, we have continuously seen how all our agencies, especially the NIA, have been making arrests to uncover the truth. How shocking and scandalous is the attack that has taken place on our country and its daughters? I believe much information and details will emerge regarding the conspiracy on logistics, intelligence and complicity.”
