New twist in Pahalgam attackers’ identities: From Pak, but not those whose sketches released by J&K police, says report

In a withdrawal from what was previously believed about the identities of the Pahalgam attackers, a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe revealed that all three attackers from Pakistan are different from those whose sketches were released initially by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Two days after terrorists opened indiscriminate firing at tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam district on April 22, killing 26 civilians, the J&K Police had released three sketches of Pakistan nationals Hashim Musa and Ali Bhai alias Talha, and Kashmir local Adil Hussain Thoker.

A report published by The Indian Express, citing sources, on Sunday said that the three men in the sketches are not the Pahalgam attackers.

All three attackers from Pakistan

In a major breakthrough in the Pahalgam terror attack case, the NIA arrested two men for harbouring the terrorists who had carried out the horrendous attack, the agency said on Sunday.

According to an ANI report, the NIA said that the two arrested accused, Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote in Pahalgam and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park in Pahalgam, have disclosed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack, and have also confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated to the proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

“Parvaiz and Bashir had knowingly harboured the three armed terrorists at a seasonal dhok (hut) at Hill Park before the attack,” said the NIA, citing its investigations.

“The two men had provided food, shelter and logistical support to the terrorists, who had, on the fateful afternoon, selectively killed the tourists on the basis of their religious identity, making it one of the most gruesome terrorist attacks ever.”

Who are the real attackers then?

According to the IE report, one of the attackers is believed to be Suleiman Shah, who was involved in the killing of seven employees of a firm constructing the Z-Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Sonamarg highway on October 20 last year. The report, which cited sources, also said that his co-accused from the attack, Junaid Ramzan Bhat, was killed on December 4 in a gunfight with the J&K Police.

Police had reportedly recovered a photo of Junaid, along with three other terrorists, from Junaid’s phone, which went viral after the Pahalgam attack. Sources said that this photo was used by the J&K Police as the basis for the sketches.

The report also said that during the investigation, the central agencies and the NIA showed different pictures recovered from Junaid’s phone to the two arrested locals, who recognised the men who had visited them two days before the Pahalgam attack.

“The fresh pictures were also shown to several witnesses, and they too confirmed their presence at the crime scene. All three are Pakistani nationals, including the Z-Morh terror accused Suleman Shah,” the IE report quoted a source as saying.

“Central agencies and the NIA are revisiting past cases and trying to tally ballistic reports so a strong case can be built against these attackers,” the source added.

NIA probing Suleiman’s link to Army personnel killing, Poonch attack in 2024

The NIA is also looking into whether Suleiman had any connection to the killing of three Army personnel in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district in August 2023, and in another attack in Jammu’s Poonch district in May last year. An Air Force personnel was killed and four others were injured in the attack.

According to the report, before the NIA arrested the two locals for allegedly sheltering the attackers, the agency had questioned more than 200 people, including pony operators, shopkeepers and photographers. “Parvaiz had a common friend with a pony operator, and their wives shared details of the visitor at their house,” said a source.