NIA Team Reaches Pahalgam

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday announced a cash reward of Rs two million for the information that would lead to the elimination of terrorists involved in the deadly attack on tourists at Baisaran (Pahalgam). It said that an FIR has been registered at the Pahalgam Police Station in connection with Tuesday’s terror attack on civilians, and “any information leading to the neutralization of the terrorists involved in this cowardly attack shall be rewarded”.

It promises to keep the identity of the informer “strictly secret” and shared mobile numbers of SSP Anantnag (9596777666) and Police Control Room Anantnag (9596777669) and email ID dpoanantnag-jk@nic.in for passing on the information. Earlier during the day, the security agencies had released the sketches of three suspected militants involved in the attack. Identifying them as Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah, and Abu Talha, they said that it was possible that the trio who went by the aliases Moosa, Yunus, and Asif might still be hiding in the surrounding forests. The sketches were prepared based on inputs from survivors and eyewitnesses, many of whom recalled seeing the perpetrators moments before the assault, the officials



said, adding that the release of these sketches is expected to help generate leads from the public and assist in narrowing down the search.

Meanwhile, the Army’s special PARA forces have joined the massive anti-terrorist operation in the Baisaran-Koketnag region of the Kashmir Valley. While multiple layers of forces are patrolling the area, the Army, assisted by advanced radar technology, drones, and helicopters, is combing the vast forested and mountainous stretches in search of the attackers. A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) headed by an Inspector General-rank officer, has soon after arriving at Pahalgam, taken up investigation into Tuesday’s deadly terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, and left several others injured. 

Local news portal Kashmir Dot Com reported that the NIA team is working closely with the J&K police and other security agencies to gather evidence, examine the crime scene, and analyse forensic material. “The NIA is expected to assist in identifying the attackers, their route of infiltration, and any local support network that may have facilitated the strike,” it said.