SRINAGAR: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has granted the agency an additional 10 days of custody for two men accused in connection with the Pahalgam terror attack.
As per a Deccan Herald report, the accused, Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar of Batkote and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park, Pahalgam, were initially arrested on June 22 for allegedly providing shelter and logistical support to Pakistani terrorists involved in the attack.
The Pahalgam terror attack, which took place on 22 April, resulted in the deaths of 26 people, most of them tourists, and left 16 others injured. According to the NIA, Parvaiz and Bashir are accused of harbouring three Pakistani militants affiliated with the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group.
The agency alleges that the two men provided the terrorists with shelter, food, and other assistance at a seasonal hut in Hill Park prior to the attack, reads a report in Hindustan Times. Investigators say the accused also helped the militants select their targets in Baisaran Valley, reportedly based on religious identity, making the incident one of the most gruesome attacks in recent memory.
Following their arrest, the two men were initially remanded to five days’ NIA custody. As that period ended, the NIA sought and was granted a further 10 days to continue their interrogation and to investigate the wider network supporting the attack. During questioning, the accused reportedly disclosed the identities of the three Pakistani terrorists, confirming their links to Lashkar-e-Taiba, reported The Indian Express.
Officials have described these arrests as a significant breakthrough in the investigation, which remains ongoing. The NIA is focusing on uncovering the full extent of the support network that enabled the attack, and further arrests have not been ruled out.
This information is based on official statements and reports from leading Indian news organisations.
