Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 1: The Pahalgam massacre on April 22, one of the deadliest in recent years, is understood to have been planned over several weeks and in the radar of terror group were also three other sites which were avoided last minute due to heightened security arrangements, sources revealed on Thursday.
According to officials involved in the investigation, the terrorists who carried out the Pahalgam massacre, were present in Baisaran Valley two days before the incident. The disclosure was made during the interrogation of one of the arrested Over Ground Workers (OGWs) linked to the attack.
The sources said the members of the Lashkar group arrived in Pahalgam on April 15, conducting reconnaissance at four tourist-heavy locations including Baisaran, Aru Valley, Betaab Valley, and a local amusement park. The group ultimately targeted Baisaran, citing lesser security deployment in the area.
Intelligence gained from detained revealed that the terrorists stayed in the Baisaran Valley for at least two days before executing the attack. On April 22, at around 1:50 PM, they launched their assault, emerging from the surrounding pine forests. Witnesses reported that the attackers interrogated some victims, asking them to recite Islamic verses. Those who failed were shot at point-blank range.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is spearheading the inquiry, has identified approximately 20 OGWs believed to have supported the foreign militants. Several among them have been arrested, and others are under active surveillance.
According to intelligence sources, at least four OGWs played a crucial role in assisting the terrorists with reconnaissance and logistical support. Evidence has also surfaced regarding the usage of three satellite phones in the region during the pre-attack phase. Signals from two of these devices have been successfully traced.
The NIA and intelligence agencies have so far interrogated over 2,500 individuals in connection with the attack. As of now, 186 persons remain in custody for further questioning, reflecting the extensive nature of the investigation.
Following the attack, coordinated raids were launched across Jammu and Kashmir. Residences linked to members and sympathisers of banned organisations such as various Hurriyat Conference factions and Jamaat-e-Islami were searched in multiple locations, including Kupwara, Handwara, Anantnag, Tral, Pulwama, Sopore, Baramulla, and Bandipora.
According to NIA sources, despite these groups’ proscribed status, they facilitated the development of a support network that allowed Pakistani terrorists to plan and carry out the Pahalgam massacre. Call records of individuals affiliated with these organisations are now being investigated. Investigators have come across communication links between members of these groups and OGWs involved in the Pahalgam attack.
The sources said the same terror module responsible for the Pahalgam attack also had links with a prior attack in the Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir in 2024 in which six labourers and a doctor were killed near the Z-Morh tunnel project in Sonamarg.
According to sources, both attacks were carried out by the same Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)-backed terror unit. Several operatives involved in the Pahalgam massacre had previously participated in the Z-Morh attack. One of the terrorists behind the 2024 attack, identified as Junaid Ahmed Bhatt, was killed in an encounter in December that year. Subsequently, two more operatives tied to the same group were neutralised. Intelligence now confirms that Lashkar terrorist Hashim Musa, alias Suleman, who has also been implicated in the Pahalgam killings, played a role in the tunnel attack.
The Z-Morh tunnel, also known as the Sonamarg tunnel, was attacked in October 2024, when terrorists opened fire on a workers’ camp operated by a private construction company. Seven people were killed including six labourers and a doctor. The tunnel, spanning 6.5 kilometres with an additional 6.05 km of approach roads, connects Srinagar to Kargil. Situated at an altitude of 8,562 feet, it is considered a critical project for the region’s year-round connectivity.
Victims of the tunnel attack included Dr Shahnawaz from Budgam, Gurmeet Singh from Gurdaspur in Punjab, Mohammad Haneef, Faheem Nasir (safety manager), and Kaleem from Bihar, Anil Kumar Shukla from Madhya Pradesh (mechanical manager), and Shashi Abrol, a designer from Jammu. All were part of the construction workforce stationed at the site. The terrorists torched two company vehicles and had abandoned an INSAS rifle at the scene.
