NIA Reaches Out to China to Trace GoPro Used in Pahalgam Terror Attack
NIA Seeks China Assistance in Pahalgam Attack Probe to Trace GoPro Camera Trail
New Delhi, Mar 3: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has moved to secure judicial cooperation from China as part of its probe into the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 tourists dead.
Investigators have identified a GoPro Hero 12 Black camera as a key piece of evidence, citing its potential role in mapping reconnaissance activity and operational planning linked to the assault in Baisaran meadow, near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Letter Rogatory Approved by Court
A special court in Jammu on March 2 permitted the agency to issue a Letter Rogatory (LR) to Chinese authorities. The request, cleared by the Ministry of Home Affairs, seeks details about the purchaser, end-user and technical records associated with the camera, which bears serial number C3501325471706.
According to the NIA, the device was supplied to AE Group International Limited, a distributor based in China, more than a year before the attack. Manufacturer records indicate that the camera was activated on January 30, 2024, in Dongguan, an industrial city in China. However, the company stated it does not maintain downstream sales or end user information.
Given that the activation and commercial trail fall within Chinese jurisdiction, officials said crucial data can only be obtained through formal judicial cooperation. As India and China do not have a bilateral Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, the request is being processed under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, to which both countries are signatories.
Camera Key to Conspiracy Angle
The agency informed the court that several material objects and digital devices linked to the conspiracy have been examined. The action camera is considered significant in establishing movement patterns, attribution and evidentiary linkage tied to the perpetrators.
The NIA formally registered the case on April 26, 2025, following directions from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The probe was transferred from Jammu and Kashmir Police five days after the incident, which authorities describe as one of the deadliest civilian attacks in the region in nearly two decades.
The attack occurred around 2 pm on April 22, 2025, when armed assailants descended into the Baisaran valley and opened fire on tourists visiting the scenic meadow. The Resistance Front, a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the assault.
