NIA Files Chargesheet Against Six in Pahalgam Terror Attack, Highlights Pakistan's Role
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against six individuals in relation to the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians earlier this year. The chargesheet was presented to the NIA Special Court in Jammu, meeting the 180-day deadline following the first arrest on June 22.
The extensive 1,597-page chargesheet outlines details of Pakistan's involvement in orchestrating the attack. It implicates banned terrorist groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its affiliate The Resistance Front (TRF) for their roles in planning and executing what the NIA described as "religion-based targeted killings."
Among those accused is Pakistan-based handler Sajid Jatt. The other three accused terrorists—Faisal Jatt alias Suleman Shah, Habeeb Tahir alias Jibran, and Hamza Afghani—were killed by security forces during Operation Mahadev in the Dachigam area of Srinagar in July.
The NIA has applied severe legal measures, invoking the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, the Arms Act, 1959, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, which include charges of waging war against India.
Additionally, two local residents, Bashir Ahmad Jothar and Parvez Ahmad Jothar, who were arrested on June 22, face charges for harboring terrorists. The agency claims they provided shelter to the attackers and subsequently revealed their identities as Pakistani nationals associated with LeT.
Throughout the investigation, the NIA interrogated over 1,000 individuals and gathered significant technical and forensic evidence. Mobile phones confiscated from the killed terrorists contained Aadhaar cards, photographs, social media accounts, and encrypted communications with handlers in Pakistan, establishing a direct connection to cross-border terror networks.
The Pahalgam terror attack had significant strategic consequences, nearly escalating tensions between India and Pakistan into a conflict. In retaliation, India initiated Operation Sindoor on May 7, conducting precise strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This military escalation concluded on May 10 following a mutual agreement to cease hostilities.
This chargesheet represents a crucial advancement in the legal and investigative efforts to hold local collaborators and foreign handlers accountable for one of the region's most lethal civilian attacks in recent history.
