NIA investigates if Pahalgam attackers’ handlers acted willingly or under duress

The two individuals arrested for harbouring the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack are currently being interrogated to determine whether they provided shelter willingly or were coerced into doing so.

Sources privy to the investigation said the two handlers—both local residents—were paid Rs 3,000 for providing food, shelter and other logistical support to the terrorists. They are currently in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

It is now being ascertained whether their support was voluntary or the result of threats or intimidation, sources added. The two were arrested on June 22 and identified as Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote and Bashir Ahmad Jothar from Hill Park—both locations situated in Pahalgam.

During interrogation, they reportedly revealed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the April 22 attack in Baisaran valley, confirming that the attackers were Pakistani nationals affiliated with the banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Investigations have confirmed that three LeT operatives were directly involved in the massacre of 25 tourists in the valley. All three were later killed on July 28 during Operation Mahadev in the Dachigam forest near Srinagar, where they had been hiding since the attack.

The terrorists were identified as Suleman Shah alias Faizal Jatt, an A category terrorist, mastermind, and lead shooter; Abu Hamza alias Afghan, an A-grade commander and second gunman, and Yasir alias Jibran, also an A-grade commander and the third gunman.

The NIA revealed that the attackers selected Baisaran valley due to its dense tourist presence and the location’s remote, isolated nature, making it a vulnerable target. Their presence at the crime scene was confirmed through scientific evidence, including ballistic analysis of empty bullet casings found in the valley, which matched the firearms recovered from them after the July encounter.

Initially, sketches of three suspects were released by J&K Police a day after the attack to seek help from the victims’ families in identifying the perpetrators. These sketches were part of the preliminary investigation.