NIA Chief Visits Pahalgam as Agency Launches Probe into Deadly April 22 Terror Attack
The Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Sadanand Date, arrived in Pahalgam on Thursday to oversee the start of a full-scale probe into the April 22 terror attack that left 26 civilians dead, most of them tourists. This visit marks a crucial development as the NIA formally takes over the case, underscoring the seriousness with which the Centre is treating what is being described as one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in Kashmir in two decades.
NIA Officially Registers Case
The NIA took charge of the investigation five days after the attack, following a formal order from the Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation (CTCR) division of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). A fresh First Information Report (FIR) was filed late Saturday night. The takeover follows initial groundwork by both the NIA and Jammu and Kashmir Police, with NIA officials already having visited the crime scene shortly after the incident.
The terror attack has been claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a known proxy of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Scope of NIA’s Investigation
The NIA is expected to conduct a comprehensive forensic assessment at the attack site. This will include collection of physical evidence, reconstruction of the incident, and identifying logistical and on-ground support networks used by the terrorists. With the case now in NIA’s hands, coordination with intelligence agencies and local police will intensify to ensure a streamlined and high-impact investigation.
The primary objective is to trace the masterminds behind the planning and execution of the attack, identify sleeper cells, and prevent further attempts of terrorism in the region, especially those targeting civilians and tourists.
14 Local Terror Operatives Identified
In a parallel development, intelligence agencies have compiled a list of 14 local terrorists suspected of actively aiding cross-border terror groups. These operatives, aged between 20 and 40, are believed to be providing logistical and ground-level support to foreign militants, particularly from LeT, Hizbul Mujahideen, and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
The names released by sources include:
- Adil Rehman Dentoo (21)
- Asif Ahmed Sheikh (28)
- Ahsan Ahmed Sheikh (23)
- Haris Nazir (20)
- Aamir Nazir Wani (20)
- Yawar Ahmed Bhat
- Asif Ahmed Khanday (24)
- Naseer Ahmed Wani (21)
- Shahid Ahmed Kutay (27)
- Aamir Ahmed Dar
- Adnan Safi Dar
- Zubair Ahmed Wani (39)
- Haroon Rashid Ganai (32)
- Zakir Ahmed Ganie (29)
These individuals are suspected of being part of sleeper modules spread across South Kashmir, especially in Anantnag and Pulwama districts.
Security Forces Step Up Operations
In response to these findings, security forces have launched a series of coordinated operations across identified hotspots. The intention is to disrupt terrorist logistics, dismantle support networks, and neutralise any planned attacks in the region. Officials have confirmed that these 14 names form part of a larger intelligence dossier currently guiding security operations across Jammu and Kashmir.
Conclusion
The NIA’s formal takeover signals the beginning of a centralised, high-level probe into the Pahalgam attack, aimed at ensuring justice for the victims and preventing further acts of terror in the Valley. With the terror plot suspected to have deep local and cross-border links, the investigation is expected to be both extensive and intensive. Meanwhile, security forces continue to tighten the net around suspected operatives, making it clear that the response to this tragic attack will be swift, strategic, and uncompromising.
