Pahalgam (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 1: National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director General Sadanand Date on Thursday arrived in Pahalgam to oversee the agency’s probe into the April 22 terror attack that left 26 tourists dead in one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in Jammu and Kashmir in nearly two decades.
The NIA officially took over the investigation from Jammu and Kashmir Police earlier this week after registering a fresh FIR under directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation (CTCR) division. The takeover follows claims of responsibility by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Deepening the Investigation
The NIA’s investigative team will conduct a full site analysis, gather forensic evidence, and help trace the network behind the attack. The agency’s priority is to identify not only the assailants but also the broader support infrastructure enabling such high-casualty strikes.
Sources close to the probe revealed that the NIA’s involvement is critical due to the cross-border dimensions of the case, including the role of Pakistani handlers and the growing network of local terrorist operatives.
Terrorist Aide Network Uncovered
According to intelligence inputs accessed by ANI, 14 local terrorists—aged between 20 and 40—have been identified as providing logistical and operational support to foreign terrorists infiltrating from Pakistan. These operatives are believed to be working under three major terror outfits:
- Hizbul Mujahideen (3)
- Lashkar-e-Taiba (8)
- Jaish-e-Mohammed (3)
Names released include:
- Adil Rehman Dentoo (21)
- Asif Ahmed Sheikh (28)
- Ahsan Ahmed Sheikh (23)
- Haris Nazir (20)
- Aamir Nazir Wani (20)
- Yawar Ahmed Bhat
- Asif Ahmed Khanday (24)
- Naseer Ahmed Wani (21)
- Shahid Ahmed Kutay (27)
- Aamir Ahmed Dar
- Adnan Safi Dar
- Zubair Ahmed Wani (39)
- Haroon Rashid Ganai (32)
- Zakir Ahmed Ganie (29)
Security agencies have intensified coordinated search and surveillance operations across South Kashmir, particularly in Anantnag and Pulwama, where many of the suspects are believed to be operating.
A senior official confirmed that these individuals are part of a broader intelligence dossier being compiled to preempt further attacks and dismantle terror infrastructure in the region.
Context and Implications
The Pahalgam attack and subsequent counter-terror response come amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. The Indian government has since intensified its crackdown on cross-border misinformation and terror propaganda, including restrictions on Pakistani YouTube channels and social media accounts.
As the investigation proceeds, the NIA is expected to expand its net both locally and across the border to ensure that those responsible for the April 22 carnage are held accountable.