Pahalgam Attack Investigation: NIA Uncovers Crucial Evidence, Arrests Two Suspects

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Security forces have achieved a major breakthrough in the brutal killing of 26 tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. NDTV, citing sources, has reported that a man who allegedly assisted the terrorists in this terrorist attack has been arrested. The arrested suspect has been identified as Mohammad Kataria.

According to police, Kataria's arrest was made possible by forensic examination of weapons recovered during Operation Mahadev in July. Based on the evidence found during the investigation, Kataria has been detained and is currently being interrogated.

It is noteworthy that on April 22nd of this year, terrorists opened fire indiscriminately on unarmed tourists in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Twenty-six tourists were killed in this brutal attack. According to reports, the terrorists asked the tourists about their religion and then shot them at close range. Responsibility for this cowardly attack was claimed by the Pakistan-backed terrorist organization, The Resistance Front (TRF), a front organization for Lashkar-e-Taiba. The incident was strongly condemned worldwide and sparked widespread outrage against Pakistan across India.

To avenge this terrorist attack, India launched a major retaliatory operation in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), killing over 100 terrorists. The government first took drastic measures, including the cancellation of the Indus Water Treaty, and then, in early May, under Operation Sindoor, carried out airstrikes in several cities in PoK and Pakistan, destroying nine terrorist camps. Several Pakistani airbases were also heavily damaged during this operation, escalating tensions between the two countries.

Subsequently, Operation Mahadev was launched in July to eliminate the terrorists behind the Pahalgam attack. During this operation on July 28, the Indian Army killed three dreaded Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists—Suleiman, Afghan, and Jibran—confirming Lashkar's involvement in the attack.