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The Wire
24-06-2025
- Politics
- The Wire
Questions Abound as NIA Dismisses Reports of Botched Investigation in Pahalgam Attack
The Congress has targeted the Union government for 'hastily' releasing the sketches of three terrorists allegedly involved in the Pahalgam attack and raised questions on the NIA investigation. An accused who was arrested by the NIA for allegedly harbouring terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack is being produced before a court, in Jammu on Monday, June 23, 2025. Photo: PTI New Delhi: With Jammu and Kashmir police's probe under spotlight, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday (24 June) responded to allegations of a botched investigation and claimed that no local from Kashmir was involved in the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The Congress has targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government for 'hastily' releasing the sketches of three terrorists allegedly involved in the Pahalgam attack, one of whom was identified by the J&K Police as a local Kashmiri. The party also raised questions on the credibility of the investigation in the deadliest terror attack on tourists in Kashmir. In an attempt to quell these questions, the NIA said on Tuesday that it has gathered a 'substantial body of evidence' from eyewitness accounts from survivors, video footage, technical evidence and the J&K Police sketches 'about the identities of the Pahalgam perpetrators'. 'All this evidence is being carefully analysed and [the] NIA has not reached any conclusions at this stage,' the NIA spokesperson said. The agency dismissed the 'speculative' and 'misleading' reportage about the sketches and identities of the three terrorists involved in the carnage at Baisaran meadow on April 22. Per the sketches released by the J&K police, two Pakistan nationals identified as Hashim Musa and Ali Bhai, and a local Kashmir militant Adil Hussain Thoker, who crossed into Pakistan on a passport in 2018, were involved in the attack. Thoker's house in Guri village of south Kashmir's Anantnag district was among the nine residential houses of suspected militants which were arbitrarily demolished in different parts of Kashmir using explosives in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. The 'bulldozer justice', which had rendered the suspects' families homeless sparked widespread outrage and allegations that the punitive action by the authorities in Kashmir had violated the fundamental right of shelter guaranteed to the citizens by the Constitution. The destroyed house of Pahalgam terror attack suspect Zakir Ahmad Ganie after a blast in Matalhama area of Kulgam district, J&K, Saturday, April 26, 2025. Photo: PTI. [The children's faces have been blurred in accordance with laws on minors.] In a statement on June 22, the NIA said that two local residents – Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar – had 'disclosed the identities of' and 'confirmed' that three Pakistani terrorists were involved in the attack. The duo had reportedly harboured the terrorists at a 'dhok' (seasonal house) at Hill Park in Pahalgam on the night of April 20. However, instead of Thoker, the third militant was identified by the Indian Express as Suleiman Shah – another Pakistani national and the alleged mastermind of the Z-Morh tunnel attack in which seven employees of a private construction firm were killed by militants on October 20 last year. The NIA spokesperson said that the Jothar duo had 'knowingly harboured the three armed terrorists' and also 'provided food, shelter and logistical support' to them. 'NIA, which has arrested the duo under Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, is further investigating the case RC-02/2025/NIA/ JMU, registered after the attack that shook the world on 22nd April 2025. Further investigations in the case are continuing,' the NIA statement said. The two were produced before a special NIA court in Jammu on June 23, 2025 which remanded them to five-days police custody. 'The NIA assures that the investigation is being carried out with the highest standards of professionalism, and all aspects of the terror attack are being thoroughly examined. The identities and further details of the terrorists will be made public at an appropriate time' the agency said. Thoker's name had cropped up in the Pahalgam investigation after a photo recovered from the phone of Junaid Ramzan Bhat – a Kulgam resident and a Lashkar-e-Tayyeba militant – showed him posing with three other Pakistani terrorists, two of whom are allegedly involved in the Pahalgam attack. Bhat was killed on December 4 in a gunfight with security forces in Dachigam on the outskirts of the capital Srinagar. Even as confusion prevails over the identities of the terrorists, some of whom were reportedly wearing masks on the day of the attack, reports said the J&K police had used the photo recovered from Bhat's phone as the basis for making sketches of the Pahalgam perpetrators. Alleging negligence in investigating the Pahalgam attack, the Congress had said that the conduct of the investigation agencies had raised 'serious questions'. 'Who were the real attackers? Where are they now? And why haven't they been brought to justice even after two months? It's been two months since the Pahalgam attack, and the nation is still demanding answers,' the party said. J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah also said on Tuesday that as per the NIA investigation, all the three terrorists who killed 26 civilians at Pahalgam were outsiders. 'It is a big revelation that no locals were involved. Two locals have been arrested who were forced by terrorists to give them food and shelter. Let the agency complete its probe,' Abdullah said. Earlier, Shehzada Bano, Thoker's mother, had told The Wire that their house, which was demolished five days after the Pahalgam attack, had been built by her husband and was not registered on Thoker's name. 'It is still registered in my husband's name. If he [Thoker] was involved in the attack, then the demolition is perhaps justified. But who will compensate us if he turns out to be innocent?' she had said. The family house of Asif Ahmad Sheikh, a suspected Lashkar-e-Tayyeba militant and a resident of Monghama village in south Kashmir's Tral, was also demolished using explosives amid allegations of his involvement in the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Sheikh's sister Yasmeena had told The Wire that the demolished house had been built by their grandfather and her family had received their share of two rooms in the ancestral property. Both her parents and all her siblings were detained in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. 'If my brother was involved in the Pahalgam attack, what has our family got to do with it? Why are our parents being punished for no fault of theirs? They destroyed the house entirely," she had said. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
India Today
13-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
3 Lashkar terrorists killed in gunfight with security forces in J&K's Shopian
At least three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists were killed in the Zinpather Keller area of Shopian on Tuesday after an encounter broke out with the security forces. One Lashkar terrorist, Shahid -- a local resident -- has been identified so far, according to Army launched Operation Keller -- named after the encounter site -- after it received "specific intelligence" from the Rashtriya Rifles unit. advertisement"During the operation, terrorists opened heavy fire and fierce firefight ensued, which resulted in elimination of three hardcore terrorists," the Army wrote on X, adding that the operation is still ongoing. In a separate development, security agencies put up 'Terror Free Kashmir' posters of three Pakistan-backed terrorists -- Adil Hussain Thoker, Ali Bhai and Hashim Musa -- who are believed to be responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam terror posters were put up in several locations across the Shopian district. A reward of Rs 20 lakh has been announced for anyone with any credible days after the Pahalgam attack, Jammu and Kashmir authorities blew up the residence of Thoker in Bijbehara on April 25 using IEDs. Thoker is believed to have played a key role in helping Pakistani terrorists carry out the attack on the picturesque Baisaran crossed the Attari-Wagah border into Pakistan in 2018 before infiltrating back into the Valley last his first public address since India launched Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam terror attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday warned that India has only "paused" its military action against Pakistan, asserting that India will respond strongly in the event of any other terror attack from across the border."We will be monitoring every step of Pakistan," PM Modi said, adding, "The way the Pakistani Army and the Pakistan government are encouraging terrorism, it will destroy Pakistan one day."In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attacks, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting multiple Lashkar, Hizbul, and Jaish terror camps inside Pakistan. This was followed by a four-day armed confrontation between the two nuclear-powered states, before an understanding to "pause" all military action was reached on Saturday InMust Watch
Indian Express
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
A terrorist of 6 months, to one missing for 35 years: Whose homes were demolished in J&K post-Pahalgam?
On April 24 night, two days after the Pahalgam terror attack, a joint team of forces arrived at Guree village in South Kashmir's Bijbehara. They were armed with explosives, and blew up the house belonging to the family of Adil Ahmad Thoker, one of the suspects in the attack that left 26 dead, 25 of them tourists. The demolition of the house came after Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during a security review meeting held in the aftermath of Pahalgam attack, instructed tough action against terrorists in the Valley. Police believe that Thoker, who crossed over to Pakistan in 2018 through the Wagah border on valid travel documents, returned to the Valley last year. Initially, the demolition of Thoker's house was seen as a direct response to the Pahalgam attack. But, over the next three days, similar joint teams of security forces blew up the houses of families or relatives of nine other terrorists – from an 18-year-old who joined militancy less than six months ago, to a man from Kupwara who crossed over to Pakistan 35 years ago allegedly for arms training and never returned. Police records suggest that of these nine terrorists (not counting Thoker), seven are active and are categorized as 'C' (the other two are believed to be in Pakistan). Police put militants in A+, A , B or C categories based on their rank in their respective outfits, their involvement in terror attacks and their ability to recruit men to their ranks (with 'A' comprising the most hardcore). Of the nine, who were picked 'randomly' as per the security forces, Asif Ahmad Sheikh, a 28-year-old from Mumghama Tral, joined the Jaish-e-Mohammad three years ago; Ahsan Ahmad Sheikh, a Lashkar-e-Taiba operative joined militants in June 2023; Amir Nazir Wani, 20, has been associated with the Jaish for the last one year; Shahid Ahmad Kuttay, 27, is from Shopian and linked to the LeT; while Zakir Ahmad Ganai is from Kulgam. Political leaders of Kashmir, who offered their full support to the Central government in whatever action it took in response to the Pahalgam attack, have cautioned against such demolition of houses of family members of terrorists. Kashmiri villagers inspect the debris of the blown-up home of an alleged terrorist at Murran village in Pulwama. (Photo: AP) Similar appeals were also made during the one-day special session of the J&K Assembly held Monday in response to the attack. People's Conference chief Sajad Lone, veteran CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami and an Independent who supports the Omar Abdullah government were among those who said that measures such as demolition of houses could be counterproductive, particularly when the people of Kashmir had come out overwhelmingly in protest against the Pahalgam attack. Incidentally, after a spree of such action by the forces, there have been no demolitions the past three days. While police are silent over the demolitions, official sources say these are being carried out to 'raise the cost of becoming a militant' for anyone who takes such a step. 'When you face such a big attack, you have to try to preempt and prevent another big attack,' said a police officer. 'By demolishing these houses, you are able to put terrorists under pressure and prevent a repeat.' At the same time, the officer claimed that while they had many times used demolition as 'a threat to successfully prevent attacks', they had not actually carried out any. After the abrogation of Article 370, demolitions were carried out of houses of known terrorist families, but at the time the authorities had cited some illegality in the structures for the move. In December 2022, for example, the police and district administration had demolished the Pulwama house of Ashiq Hussain Nengroo. A Pakistan-based Jaish militant, Nengroo had been declared a designated terrorist months earlier. This was followed by the razing of a part of the house of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Amir Khan at Pahalgam. This time, there is no talk of encroachment in relation to the demolitions. Security forces have arrived at the houses, asked the inmates to leave and blown up the structures. In several cases, houses of neighbours too have been damaged. In Kupwara, the house of Farooq Ahmad Tedwa was blown up, with videos of the demolition making the rounds on social media. Tedwa, a resident of Kalaroos, crossed over to Pakistan allegedly for arms training in the 1990s but did not return. 'Hamara kya kasoor hai (What is our fault)?' said a family member of Tedwa. 'He left us long ago, leaving everyone behind. Where would we go now? Why are we being punished for someone else's fault?' In Wadina Muthama village of Shopian, the house of the family of Adnan Shafi Dar was demolished. Dar joined militants in November last year. Like the political leadership, some police officers too have advised that the demolitions may backfire given that the people had 'openly denounced violence' across the Valley after the Pahalgam attack – in arguably the first such reaction in the three decades of Kashmir militancy. They have argued that it would also put families and houses of police personnel at risk. 'If it continues, we will have to look for security to protect police families as well,' said an officer. 'The security forces are already overstretched and it is almost impossible to provide security to another 50,000 families.'
The Print
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Like Pahalgam suspect Thoker, 40 from J&K visited Pakistan legally & ‘joined terror groups' since 2016
'He travelled to Pakistan via the Attari border and joined the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. He is believed to have returned with other terrorists in 2024, after which he had not just been providing logistical support to foreign terrorists who came with him, but leading them,' a source told ThePrint. The same was the case with Adil Thoker, a prime suspect in last week's terror attack in Pahalgam in which 25 tourists and one local was killed. He had travelled to Pakistan on an Indian passport in April 2018 on the pretext of attending an examination, sources said. New Delhi: Among the 300 residents of Jammu & Kashmir who travelled to Pakistan on valid travel documents since 2016, more than 40 ended up joining terror outfits, ThePrint has learnt. They received training in Pakistan and then infiltrated back into India illegally through the Line of Control (LoC), to actively participate in carrying out terror attacks against civilians and security forces in the region, sources in the security establishment said. According to the sources, after 2014, Pakistan-backed agencies evolved their tactics to recruit radicalised Kashmiri youth into terror organisations by asking them to get 'valid travel documents' and travel to Pakistan on the pretext of reasons such as for an exam or business. A second source explained that this strategy helped circumvent the risks and logistical challenges associated with illegal crossings of the LoC and also provided the individuals with the freedom to move around, as they possessed legal documentation permitting their stay in Pakistan. 'Having a valid travel document proved beneficial for these organisations which roped in youngsters from Kashmir. This soon became their modus operandi. These, of course, were people who did not have any past criminal record or were not on the radar of agencies or had valid documents from before,' the source said. According to data available with the security agencies, at least 15 people were killed in different encounters on their return to J&K and more than 10 are confirmed to be 'active terrorists' in the valley. 'While some returned to the valley and are active here, some of them stayed back in Pakistan and joined separatist groups, helping support terrorist activities in J&K by spreading secessionist narratives and fuelling unrest,' the second source said. 'These are the people who know Kashmir well and are now assisting in tapping youngsters for more recruitment.' The source, however, acknowledged that the recruitment of youngsters took a hit in the past year. Explaining the recruitment by Pakistan-based agencies, the source quoted above said local Kashmiris such as Thoker were first identified in J&K, radicalised through online propaganda and put in touch with local networks who further brainwashed them into going for training in Pakistan. 'The individuals who were highly motivated, capable of handling weapons effectively, and resilient were then selected for training in Pakistan. The handlers ensured that only those they deemed the best were recruited. We have observed that these local recruits are as ruthless and hardcore as the Pakistani terrorists who infiltrate to carry out attacks, unlike earlier, when they were often seen as timid,' the source said. Thoker, 33, hails from Bijbehara subdivision of J&K's Anantnag district. He completed BA studies from Government Degree College Anantnag and post-graduation in Urdu from Rehmat E Alam College of Education in Anantnag in 2018. He then worked as a private teacher at MMI School in Shamsipora for two years. (Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui) Also Read: Pahalgam attacker Thoker was once a teacher, regular at militants' funerals before moving to Pakistan
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First Post
28-04-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Rough trek and help from local cadres: How terrorists entered Kashmir from Pakistan to wreak havoc in Pahalgam
Days after the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people died, one of the leading questions remains to be answered: how the terrorists entered India? Now, investigations reveal that the Pakistanis received help from local cadres to cross over the border, including providing logistics and procuring arms for them. The probe has also revealed that the Pahalgam terrorists carried out an extensive recce of Baisaran meadow ahead of the incident read more An Indian cop checks a scooter on the outskirts of Srinagar in Kashmir following the Pahalgam terror attack. AP It's been six days since the Pahalgam attack — six days since terrorists emerged from the pine tree forests near the Baisaran meadow in south Kashmir's Pahalgam and gunned down 26 people, mostly tourists. The incident has stunned India and led to ties with Pakistan further deteriorating — the Modi government has taken a series of punitive measures in the aftermath of the attack. But amid all of this, there are many questions that still need to be answered about the attack itself. Where did the terrorists come from? How long were they in India? How did they enter India? With the National Investigation Agency (NIA) taking over the case, there's hope that soon we shall have the answers to these questions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In fact, initial investigations already reveal some clues as to how the gun-toting terrorists — they were wielding AK-47s and US-made M4 carbine rifles — crossed the border and entered India. Here's what we have learned so far. Entry into India with help of local cadres Security agencies are now on the lookout for three terrorists, namely Pakistani terrorists Hashim Musa and Ali Bhai, along with Jammu and Kashmir local Adil Hussain Thoker. Security personnel have said that Thoker was the principal architect of the Pahalgam attack. According to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Musa and Ali appeared to have entered India in the last year-and-a-half, while Thoker acted as their local guide in Kashmir. The Pakistan nationals have been operating in the Kashmir Valley for nearly two years, as per an Indian Express report. 'We believe he [Musa] entered from the Samba and Kathua side and then moved towards Kishtwar,' a source told ThePrint. Indian soldiers guard inside a Mughal garden on the outskirts of Srinagar. Security has been heightened in the area following the Pahalgam attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people. AP Musa likely infiltrated in September 2023 and was active mainly in the Budgam district. Ali came to India after Musa and was operating in the Dachigam forests on the outskirts of Srinagar city, Indian Express reported, citing police records. Thoker, a resident of Gurre village in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, travelled to Pakistan in 2018 and returned to the Valley last year, as per the records. Police believe he was a local guide of the 'well-trained and battle-hardened' Pakistani terrorists. Security personnel have suspicions that the two Pakistani terrorists gained entry into India with the help of 15 local Kashmiri overground workers (OGWs) and terror aides. As per a Times of India report, these 15 arranged the logistics and also received arms consignments from Pakistan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Additionally, the Times of India report states that authorities have been able to intercept a chat in which three of the OGWs, who have been detained, are talking to each other about Pakistani terrorists in Pahalgam and how to 'help' them. Trekking for 22 hours, carrying out extensive recce Investigations have revealed that once the Pahalgam terrorists had gained access into Jammu and Kashmir, they travelled through harsh terrain for 22 hours from Kokernag to Pahalgam to carry out the dastardly attack. Once they reached the location, they carried out an extensive recce of the Baisaran meadow, taking into account the response time of security personnel. For instance, they studied that the closest Rashtriya Rifles unit would take about 40-45 minutes to reach the nearest road head from where they would have to trek for another 30-35 minutes to reach Baisaran. Similarly, they knew that the closest Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) would take an hour to reach the spot. 'Those who planned the attack knew about the geography and prepared an escape route for the attackers. It is possible that they may have done a recce for a few days to see at what time the tourist flow is the maximum,' sources were quoted as telling Deccan Herald. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Indian security force personnel patrol on the banks of Dal Lake, following a terrorist attack near south Kashmir's Pahalgam, in Srinagar. Reuters Once they studied and planned, the terrorists launched their attack on the fateful day of April 22, coinciding with US Vice President JD Vance's visit to India, gunning down innocent civilians one after another, causing death and terror in the area. Sources have been quoted as saying that on the day, two terrorists emerged from behind nearby shops, ordering victims to recite the Kalma before shooting four people dead at point-blank range. This led to panic with other tourists running helter-skelter. At that opportunity, two more terrorists appeared from near the zipline area and began to shoot more civilians. Pahalgam terrorists still hiding in forests After the attack, the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam carnage fled, taking cover in the dense forests in the area. The security personnel have been carrying out intense combing operations since the attack, hunting for the perpetrators behind the incident. The Indian Express has reported that security forces have, in fact, located the Pahalgam attackers 'at least four times' in different spots over the past days, came 'very close' to cornering them in the forests of South Kashmir — and, on one such occasion, even exchanged fire with them. The Indian news outlet reports that the terrorists fled from the authorities after receiving word from local residents and intelligence inputs. 'It's a cat and mouse game. There have been moments where they have been visibly located. But by the time they could be engaged, they had escaped. The forests are very thick and it's not easy to chase someone even after visibly locating them. But we are sure we will get them, it's only a matter of days,' an officer from the military establishment said to Indian Express. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Indian soldiers stand guard near a clock tower in Srinagar. India took a raft of punitive diplomatic measures against Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of supporting 'cross-border terrorism' after a deadly attack on civilians in Kashmir. AFP Sources have further added that the terrorists are exercising utmost caution while 'arranging supplies'. 'Generally, terrorists have to arrange for food and that's when they get to villages. Sometimes, they get their local contacts to supply food in the jungles. This generates human intelligence and gives security forces the opportunity to corner them. However, these terrorists are operating rather carefully,' an officer said. The NIA also issued a statement on Sunday, which said that entry and exit points were being closely scrutinised for clues on the modus operandi of the terrorists. The NIA teams, aided by forensic and other experts, are checking the entire area thoroughly for evidence to expose the terror conspiracy. It's important to note here that security officials, who are trying to piece together what occurred during the tragedy, have received a breakthrough as a photographer, who had perched himself atop a tree, has recorded the entire sequence of events. This has become a vital piece of evidence, as it provides a clear timeline and helps in the identification of the perpetrators. Moreover, an Indian Army official, who was on holiday with his family at the spot during the attack, provided a clear and concise narration of the events, helping officials to gain a clear picture of the carnage that occurred. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
