News Brief
LeT Terrorist Farooq Ahmad, Operating From PoK, Under NIA Scanner In Pahalgam Terror Attack Case: Report
National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has found that Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Farooq Ahmad played a key role in the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, India Today reported citing sources.
Ahmad, currently believed to be hiding in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), used his extensive network of overground workers (OGWs) to facilitate the entry and operations of the attackers.
He reportedly played key role in orchestrating multiple terror attacks in Kashmir over the past two years through his sleeper cell network.
Among these, the Pahalgam attack, which left 25 tourists and a Kashmiri dead, has been identified as the most significant, according to the India Today report.
Ahmad has reportedly been facilitating infiltration into Kashmir from three sectors in Pakistan, leveraging his extensive knowledge of the mountainous routes in the Kashmir Valley.
He has reportedly maintained secure communications with his network in India via encrypted apps while operating from PoK.
This operation also targeted other properties linked to terrorists, with ten residences demolished in total.
The NIA, which formally took over the investigation from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, has intensified its probe by questioning eyewitnesses, survivors, and over 2,000 suspected OGWs, the Indian Express reported.
At least 15 of these workers remain under close scrutiny for their role in supporting the attackers.
Authorities are also examining digital evidence that traces the planning and coordination of the attack to safehouses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, suggesting a control-room-style operation reminiscent of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
