After taking charge of the investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack, National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director General Sadanand Date arrived in Pahalgam on Thursday to oversee the agency’s probe.
On Sunday, the NIA officially took over the investigation from Jammu and Kashmir Police into the deadly attack that left 26 tourists dead. The agency registered a new FIR on Saturday following an order from the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation (CTCR) division, due to the severity of the case. The terror group Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack.
The NIA assumed control of the case five days after the attack and four days after its team visited the site to support the local police in investigating what is being considered the deadliest assault on civilians in the region in nearly two decades.
Sources close to the investigation confirmed that the NIA has officially taken over the case and begun its inquiry. The NIA team is expected to conduct a thorough examination of the attack site, gather forensic evidence, and work to identify those responsible for the massacre.
The agency’s investigation comes as intelligence agencies compile a list of 14 local terrorists believed to be active in Jammu and Kashmir. These individuals, aged between 20 and 40, are reportedly providing support to foreign terrorists from Pakistan through logistical and ground-level assistance.
The suspects are said to be affiliated with three major Pakistan-based terror groups: Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Among the identified operatives, three are linked to Hizbul Mujahideen, eight to LeT, and three to JeM.
The individuals listed 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), and Zakir Ahmed Ganie (29).
The identification of these local terror associates comes as authorities ramp up efforts to dismantle support networks that facilitate cross-border terrorism. Security forces have launched coordinated operations across South Kashmir, particularly in Anantnag and Pulwama districts, where many of the listed individuals are believed to be operating. Senior officials indicate that this list is part of a broader intelligence effort aimed at preventing further attacks and disrupting terrorist logistics in the Valley.
