Pahalgam Terror Attack: NIA Takes Over Investigation From J&K Police

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the Pahalgam terror attack case from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, NDTV reported.

The Central anti-terror agency has begun its probe into the deadly terror attack that resulted in the killing of 26 tourists.

On late Saturday (26 April), the NIA registered a fresh FIR after receiving order from the Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation (CTCR) division of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The handing over of probe to NIA gains significance as Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba’s proxy, the Resistance Front (TRF), claimed responsibility for the attack.

The NIA took over the case four days after the agency’s team visited the attack site and started assisting the J&K Police in investigating what is being considered as the deadliest assault on civilians in the region in nearly two decades.

Led by a Deputy Inspector General, the NIA team visited Baisaran, the attack site, on 23 April, the day after the attack.

The 22 April terror attack led to the death of 26 toursts, including one Nepali national, and left over three dozen others injured. The attack took place around 2 pm at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam, a popular tourist spot.

The NIA team is expected to carry out a detailed attack site assessment, gather forensic evidence, and assist in identifying those behind the massacre.

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