Pahalgam massacre: Same Lashkar unit killed 6 labourers, doctor in 2024

The back-to-back detentions of Over Ground Workers (OGW) and their subsequent interrogation has given the National Investigation Agency (NIA) two major leads in its ongoing probe into the Pahalgam terror attack.

The first revelation is that the terrorists had conducted reconnaissance of at least three additional high-footfall tourist sites in Pahalgam before ultimately selecting the scenic Baisaran Valley as their target.

The second — rather more alarming — lead is the confirmation that the same Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) unit was behind the October 2024 Z-Morh tunnel attack in Sonamarg, which claimed the lives of six labourers and a doctor.

According to official sources, during interrogation, the arrested OGW revealed that a group of terrorists infiltrated Pahalgam on April 15 and conducted detailed reconnaissance of four major tourist locations — Baisaran Valley, Aru Valley, Betaab Valley and the local amusement park.

These spots, known for drawing large numbers of visitors during the summer, were under close surveillance by the group in preparation for coordinated attacks.

However, heightened security measures across these zones — including increased patrols, CCTV surveillance, and presence of a nearby police station — appear to have thwarted the attackers’ plans. As per sources, the terrorists were clearly looking for vulnerabilities and ultimately found a security loophole at Baisaran Valley.

The investigators also believe the Pahalgam plot was orchestrated by the same LeT cell responsible for the Z-Morh tunnel ambush in October 2024, suggesting a broader strategy by the group to target both infrastructure and soft tourist locations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Intel sources have indicated that it was Hashim Musa, a Pakistan Army para commando-turned-terrorist and a key suspect in the Pahalgam attack, who was involved in the Z-Morh tunnel attack. The security forces had already neutralised three perpetrators of Z-Morh tunnel ambush.