NIA to File Chargesheet in Pahalgam Terror Attack Case on Monday
Probe found direct role of three Pakistan-based LeT terrorists; chargesheet to be filed in special NIA court in Jammu
NEW DELHI, Dec 15: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will file a chargesheet on Monday in connection with the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people, most of them tourists, were killed by Pakistan based terrorists, officials said.
According to the agency, investigations have established the direct involvement of three terrorists in the April 22 attack. The chargesheet will be submitted before a special NIA court in Jammu.
In June, the NIA arrested two local men for allegedly harbouring the three terrorists, who were later neutralised by security forces in July. The arrested accused were identified as Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar of Batkote and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Pahalgam.
During interrogation, the duo revealed that the attackers were Pakistani nationals affiliated with the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). NIA officials said the accused had provided food, shelter and logistical support to the terrorists.
The three LeT operatives were killed in an encounter on July 28 during ‘Operation Mahadev’ on the outskirts of Srinagar. Investigators said the terrorists had been hiding in the Dachigam-Harwan forest belt since the attack.
Following the Pahalgam attack, Indian armed forces on May 7 carried out precision strikes under ‘Operation Sindoor’ against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). The strikes targeted nine locations, including LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters and training centres used to plan attacks against India.
