In a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two men accused of providing crucial support to the perpetrators responsible for one of the deadliest incidents of terrorism in recent years.
The April 22, 2025, attack in the picturesque town of Pahalgam in South Kashmir claimed the lives of 26 people—most of them tourists—and left 16 others critically injured, sending shockwaves across the country and the world.
The two arrested individuals have been identified as Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar, a resident of Batkote in the Pahalgam region, and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, hailing from Hill Park, Pahalgam. Both are residents with alleged longstanding ties to militant networks operating in the area.
According to a detailed statement released by the NIA, the investigation revealed that Parvaiz and Bashir had willfully and knowingly harboured the three heavily armed terrorists responsible for the heinous attack.
The shelter was provided at a seasonal ‘dhok’ (a temporary shepherd hut) situated in the Hill Park area, strategically located to facilitate movement through the rugged forest terrain.
The NIA further confirmed that during interrogation, the two accused disclosed the identities of the three militants, revealing that all of them were Pakistani nationals affiliated with the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
This crucial information has lent strong credence to suspicions that the attack was meticulously planned and executed with cross-border involvement, orchestrated by LeT operatives with support from local collaborators.
Investigators believe the shelter provided by the two men enabled the attackers to remain undetected during their preparation phase, giving them the time and means to carefully select their targets. The attack, carried out in broad daylight, was particularly barbaric.
The assailants allegedly singled out victims based on their religious identity, a chilling detail that has drawn international condemnation and highlighted the deeply sectarian motive behind the violence.
“This was not just an act of terror, but an act of religiously motivated hatred, designed to create fear and division,” the NIA statement noted.
The agency emphasized that such selective targeting underscores the brutality and ideological extremism of the attackers and their supporters.
The arrests were made under Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, which pertains to harboring a terrorist.
This legal provision carries severe penalties, including life imprisonment, for those found guilty of knowingly aiding terrorists.
Both Parvaiz and Bashir are currently in NIA custody, and the agency has stated that further interrogations are underway to uncover additional layers of the terror network, including other potential local facilitators, financial supporters, and communication channels.
The April 22nd massacre marked one of the bloodiest terror attacks in Kashmir in recent history, not just because of the scale of casualties but due to its symbolic impact.
Pahalgam, a well-known tourist destination known for its scenic beauty and spiritual significance, had long been considered relatively safe. The attack shattered that illusion and dealt a major blow to Kashmir’s tourism sector, which had only recently begun recovering from years of instability.
In the aftermath of the attack, security was ramped up across South Kashmir. Intelligence agencies launched coordinated efforts to identify and track down those responsible.
The central government had directed the NIA to take over the case, citing its transnational and organized nature. A large team of forensic experts, intelligence analysts, and counter-terrorism operatives was deployed to work on the case.
According to senior NIA officials, the investigation remains active and ongoing, with multiple leads being pursued, including the route taken by the attackers to infiltrate across the border, their logistical supply chain, and the possibility of a sleeper cell network operating within South Kashmir and beyond.
Meanwhile, families of the victims continue to mourn the loss of their loved ones. Human rights groups and civil society organizations have urged the government to ensure justice is served swiftly and those complicit in the attack—whether directly or indirectly—are held accountable.
This latest development in the case has brought a degree of closure to a grieving nation, though the NIA has stressed that much work remains to be done to fully dismantle the network behind the attack.
The agency has urged citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to authorities, especially in regions vulnerable to infiltration and radicalization.
As India continues its fight against terrorism, the Pahalgam case stands as a grim reminder of the ever-evolving threat posed by cross-border terror networks and the importance of community vigilance, intelligence cooperation, and swift legal action in safeguarding the nation’s security and social harmony.