NIA Arrests Two for Sheltering Pahalgam Attack Terrorists; Both Linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba
Pahalgam, 22nd June 2025: Two months after the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam that left 26 tourists dead, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has made a major breakthrough by arresting two local residents who allegedly sheltered the attackers.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Parvez Ahmed Jothar and Bashir Ahmed Jothar, both from the Pahalgam area. According to NIA officials, the duo confessed during interrogation that they had provided shelter, food, and logistical support to the three terrorists who executed the April 22 attack. The militants had been lodged in a temporary dhok (hut) in Hill Park, close to the attack site.
The investigation further revealed that the three terrorists were Pakistani nationals and affiliated with the banned terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Targeted Attack Claimed 26 Lives
The Pahalgam terror attack, which occurred on April 22 in the Baisaran Valley, about 6 km from Pahalgam town, resulted in the death of 26 tourists and left 16 others seriously injured. The terrorists are believed to have targeted the victims based on their religious identity, according to official reports.
Following the attack, the Jammu and Kashmir Police released sketches of three suspects on April 24. The attackers were identified as Adil Hussain Thokar (an Indian national from Anantnag), and two Pakistani nationals: Hashim Musa alias Suleman, a former commando from Pakistan’s Special Service Group (SSG), and Ali alias Talha Bhai. The latter two are believed to be highly trained militants affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba. A reward of ₹20 lakh was announced for each of the three suspects.
It is currently unclear if the two men arrested by the NIA disclosed the names of these three individuals or revealed information about other operatives.
India Responded with ‘Operation Sindoor’
In retaliation for the brutal attack, India carried out airstrikes on May 6-7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under ‘Operation Sindoor’. The pre-dawn operation, launched at 1:05 AM, reportedly destroyed nine terror hideouts and killed over 100 militants.
Among those killed were ten members of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar’s family and four of his close aides. The Indian Air Force fired 24 missiles during the mission, marking one of the most significant anti-terror operations post-Pulwama.
Ongoing Investigation
The NIA is now focusing on unraveling the local support network that aided foreign terrorists. The agency has not ruled out more arrests in the coming days. “The arrest of Parvez and Bashir is a crucial lead. This confirms our suspicion that some locals actively collaborated with foreign militants,” an NIA official said.
The Pahalgam attack, described as one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in recent years, has intensified security operations across the Kashmir Valley. Central and state agencies are closely monitoring cross-border terror activities and radicalization networks in the region.
