NIA Arrests Two for Aiding Pahalgam Terrorists; Over 2,000 Questioned in Ongoing Crackdown

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two individuals for allegedly sheltering the terrorists involved in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives, PTI reported on Sunday, citing NIA officials.

The arrests followed extensive questioning of over 2,000 people, including local eyewitnesses and ponywalas, as part of the federal probe. Several of those interrogated were also booked under the Public Safety Act. In parallel, Jammu and Kashmir Police raided the homes of more than 100 terror suspects and associates across the region.

Officials said the NIA also questioned relatives of both the victims and survivors of the deadly attack. “We have gathered many crucial insights about the terrorists involved,” an NIA official said, adding that teams led by senior officers are actively investigating the case.

The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), had claimed responsibility for the attack.

NIA Raids on Terror-Linked Premises

The arrests come weeks after the NIA conducted raids at 32 locations across Kashmir, including Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama, Sopore, and Kupwara. These locations were linked to overground workers associated with Pakistan-backed terror groups, sources familiar with the operation said.

While not all raids were directly connected to the Pahalgam attack, officials confirmed they were part of a larger crackdown on banned terrorist organizations and their affiliates, tied to a broader case registered by the NIA two years ago.

The sweeping investigation signals an intensified effort by Indian authorities to dismantle the terror infrastructure operating in Jammu and Kashmir, with the NIA coordinating closely with local police and central paramilitary forces.