BIG arrest: 2 arrested for harbouring Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists responsible for Pahalgam terror attack, says NIA

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two men for harbouring the terrorists responsible for the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed 26 lives, the agency said in a statement.

The two men, Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park, have disclosed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack and have also confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated with the terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the statement noted. Both the accused are from Pahalgam.

What does the NIA probe reveal?

According to the NIA probe, Parvaiz and Bashir had harboured the three armed terrorists knowingly at a seasonal dhok (hut) at Hill Park before the attack. They also provided food, shelter and logistical support to the terrorists responsible for the attack.

The agency has arrested the two men under Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and is further investigating the case.

NIA conducts searches in several locations of J&K

The arrest comes weeks after NIA conducted searches across 32 locations in Jammu and Kashmir, as part of its ongoing investigations linked to the Pahalgam terror attack.

The searches were carried out in residential premises linked to individuals associated with outfits such as The Resistance Front (TRF), United Liberation Front Jammu & Kashmir (ULFJ&K), Mujahideen Gazwat-ul-Hind (MGH), Jammu & Kashmir Freedom Fighters (JKFF), Kashmir Tigers, and the People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAAF). These groups maintain affiliations with banned terrorist organisations, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Al-Badr.

Pahalgam terror attack

On April 22, 2025, terrorists indiscriminately shot several people, mostly tourists. The attack happened in Baisaran, popularly known as ‘mini Switzerland’, near Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Days after the deadly attack, the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Of the nine locations targeted, four were in Pakistan, while five were in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, ANI reported.