The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday filed a chargesheet against six accused in connection with the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians earlier this year. The chargesheet was submitted before the NIA Special Court in Jammu within the statutory 180-day deadline from the date of the first arrest on June 22.
In its 1,597-page chargesheet, the NIA has detailed Pakistan’s involvement in the conspiracy behind the attack. Banned terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its proxy The Resistance Front (TRF) have been named for planning, facilitating, and executing what the agency described as “religion-based targeted killings.”
Among the four terrorists named is Pakistan-based handler Sajid Jatt. The other three—Faisal Jatt alias Suleman Shah, Habeeb Tahir alias Jibran, and Hamza Afghani—were killed by security forces during Operation Mahadev in the Dachigam area of Srinagar in July.
The NIA has invoked stringent provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, the Arms Act, 1959, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, including charges related to waging war against India.
Two local residents, Bashir Ahmad Jothar and Parvez Ahmad Jothar, arrested on June 22, have also been chargesheeted for harbouring terrorists. According to the agency, the duo helped shelter the attackers and later disclosed their identities, confirming that the terrorists were Pakistani nationals linked to LeT.
During the investigation, the NIA questioned over 1,000 individuals and collected extensive technical and forensic evidence. Mobile phones recovered from the slain terrorists contained Aadhaar cards, photographs, social media accounts, and encrypted communications with handlers based in Pakistan, which investigators say directly link the conspiracy to cross-border terror networks.
The Pahalgam terror attack had major strategic fallout, pushing India and Pakistan to the brink of conflict. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, carrying out precision strikes on terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The four-day military escalation ended on May 10 after both sides reached an understanding to halt hostilities.
The chargesheet marks a significant step in the legal and investigative process aimed at holding both local collaborators and foreign handlers accountable for one of the deadliest civilian attacks in the region in recent years.
