JAMMU – The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken blood and hair samples from Pravaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, the two people who were arrested for their supposed role in the Pahalgam terror incident. Investigators are doing DNA tests to find out if the two people did more than just give the terrorists food and shelter.
The samples were taken from the Amphalla prison in Jammu, where the Jothar couple is presently being held. They will be compared to evidence, such as clothes and weaponry, that was found with the three dead terrorists: Suleiman Shah, Hamza Afghani, and Jibran. Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, said in Parliament that the attackers were from Pakistan and were part of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group.
On July 28, security forces executed the three terrorists who shot and killed 25 tourists and one pony operator on April 22 at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam. An NIA statement says that Pravaiz and Bashir Jothar were arrested on June 22 for allegedly hiding the terrorists in a seasonal cottage at Hill Park before the attack. The CIA said that the two men gave the terrorists “food, shelter, and logistical support” so they could kill tourists based on their religious beliefs.
An NIA officer, who wanted to stay anonymous, said, “We’re trying to find out if they had a bigger role in the Pahalgam attack than just giving them food and shelter.” The samples will also help compare them with items found in earlier attacks on civilians in Jammu and Kashmir to find out if these two were involved in hiding or helping other terrorists.
The NIA has now questioned 1,055 people as part of the large investigation. These people include visitors, mule and pony owners, photographers, and store workers. The agency has gotten more than 3,000 hours of testimony. A second official further said that the NIA is looking into technical data from phones and a satellite phone that were found with the terrorists to learn more about their LeT handlers in Pakistan.
India’s military response to the incident in Pahalgam was very strong. “Operation Sindoor” was started by the Indian military on May 7. It bombed nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The strikes reportedly killed at least 100 terrorists and started a four-day series of attacks and counter-attacks across the border until military hostilities stopped.