Pahalgam terror probe: NIA grills local who shut shop on day of attack after opening it two weeks before

A local resident of Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, who had opened his shop just two weeks before the April 22 terror attack on tourists and kept it shut on the day of the incident, is currently under the scanner of central investigating agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA). According to a report by The Indian Express, officials are questioning the man and examining his Internet Protocol Detail Record (IPDR) to gather possible leads.

The NIA, which is probing the deadly attack that claimed the lives of 26 people, has already questioned around 100 locals as part of its investigation. The man came to the attention of investigators during this round of questioning, The Indian Express reported, citing unnamed sources.

A team from the NIA has compiled a list of individuals who were present at the site during the attack and is systematically questioning them. “Since the case is with the NIA, we are assisting them by directing all local suspects and witnesses to their team,” a source from the central agencies told The Indian Express. Those questioned so far include pony operators, shopkeepers, photographers and workers involved in adventure sports. Some reportedly told investigators that they were spared by the attackers after being identified by their accent or after the assailants confirmed their religious identity.

Earlier this week, the NIA also questioned a zipline operator who was seen chanting “Allahu Akbar” in a video recorded by a tourist during the incident. He was later given a clean chit. According to The Indian Express, the operator admitted to shouting in fear and fleeing the scene. He neither alerted the police nor anyone else upon reaching home, although he did contact a friend later in the evening.

The NIA officially took over the investigation after the Union Home Ministry directed it to probe a broader conspiracy, potentially orchestrated from across the border. Investigators are also examining whether the same group was behind the killing of three Army personnel in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district in August 2023, as well as the May 2023 attack in Jammu’s Poonch district that left one Air Force personnel dead and four injured.

“The NIA and other central agencies are revisiting previous cases in a bid to connect the dots and strengthen the case against the perpetrators,” a source told The Indian Express.

In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated. India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, revoked all visas granted to Pakistani nationals, closed the Integrated Check Post at Attari and expelled Pakistani diplomats. This week, India also imposed an immediate ban on the import and transit of all goods originating from or exported by Pakistan.