NIA takes over Pahalgam terror attack case from Jammu and Kashmir police, begins probe
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the Pahalgam Terror Attack case from Jammu and Kashmir Police and begun its investigation into the deadly attack that resulted in the killing of 26 tourists.
The Central anti-terror agency formally registered a fresh FIR on late Saturday following an order issued from the Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation (CTCR) division of the Ministry of Home Affairs considering the gravity of the case as Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba's proxy, the Resistance Front (TRF), has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The NIA took over the case five days after the incident and four days after its team visited the attack site and started supporting the Jammu and Kashmir Police in probing what is considered the deadliest assault on civilians in the region in almost twenty years.
The NIA team, led by a Deputy Inspector General-rank officer, had visited Baisaran on April 23, the day after the attack.
The NIA's investigation is significant, as the April 22 attack led to the death of 26 tourists, including one Nepali citizen, and left over three dozen others injured. The incident occurred around 2 PM at Baisaran meadow, near the popular tourist town of Pahalgam.
The NIA team is expected to conduct a thorough assessment of the attack site, collect forensic evidence, and help in identifying those responsible for the carnage.
Authorities pressed a chopper into service for the evacuation of the injured persons.
The attack comes at a time when Kashmir is experiencing a significant uptick in tourist arrivals after years of militancy. Notably, the 38-day Amarnath Yatra is set to commence on July 3.
- ANI
