The brutal Pahalgam terror attack has further exacerbated the already frail relationship between India and Pakistan. In response, the Indian government has taken decisive actions, including suspending the Indus Water Treaty, scaling back Islamabad's diplomatic mission, and expelling its military attaches, following a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) decision.
Despite Islamabad’s repeated denials and contradictory statements, evidence from Indian intelligence agencies points to Pakistan’s likely involvement. Initially, the Resistance Front, a proxy group linked to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack but later backtracked, deepening suspicions of Pakistan's ongoing support for terror groups operating on its soil.
Six days after the attack, critical questions remain unanswered: How did the terrorists infiltrate India? How long had they been in the country before launching the attack? And who are the ones responsible for this heinous act?
As the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has taken charge of the investigation, one can hope for speedy progress in the investigation.
Security agencies are now on the lookout for three terrorists, namely Pakistan-based Hashim Musa and Ali Bhai, and Adil Hussain Thoker – a local from Jammu and Kashmir. Media reports have quoted security personnel stating that Thoker was the mastermind of the attack.
Entry into India
According to Jammu and Kashmir Police, as quoted The Indian Express in its report, terrorists Musa and Ali entered India over the past one and a half years, with Thoker serving as their local guide in Kashmir. The two Pakistani terrorists were reportedly operating in the Valley for around two years, the report added.
Thoker, a resident of Gurre village in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, had traveled to Pakistan in 2018 and returned to the Valley last year, as per police records. Authorities believe he acted as a local guide for the “well-trained and battle-hardened” Pakistani terrorists.
The Print quoted a source to claim that Musa infiltrated India through the Samba and Kathua sectors before moving toward Kishtwar.
Meanwhile, The Indian Express claimed citing police documents that Musa crossed over in September 2023 and was primarily active in the Budgam district, while Ali entered India after Musa and operated in the Dachigam forests on the outskirts of Srinagar city.
Security agencies suspect that the two Pakistani terrorists were assisted by about 15 local Kashmiri overground workers (OGWs) and terror aides. According to a Times of India report, these individuals not only facilitated their logistics but also helped them receive arm consignments from Pakistan.
Further, the Times of India report mentions that authorities intercepted a conversation in which three detained OGWs were heard discussing Pakistani terrorists in Pahalgam and how to “help” them.
Terrorists on the run
Security forces have launched extensive operations to track down those responsible for the attack. Following the Pahalgam carnage, the terrorists are said to have fled into the dense forests the Baisaran meadow to evade capture.
According to The Indian Express, security forces have managed to track the Pahalgam attackers “at least four times” at various locations over the past few days, coming “very close” to trapping them in the forests of South Kashmir.
The report, quoting sources, stated that the terrorists were first located in the forests near Hapat Nar village in Anantnag’s Pahalgam tehsil, but they managed to escape by taking advantage of the dense terrain.
Later they were spotted in the forests of Kulgam where security forces exchange fire with them before escaping. The terrorist was again located in the Tral ridge and then Kokernag, where they are currently suspected to be moving around, it added.
The report states that the attackers managed to evade capture after receiving warnings from local residents and based on intelligence inputs.
“It’s a cat and mouse game. There have been moments where they have been visibly located. But by the time they could be engaged, they had escaped. The forests are very thick and it’s not easy to chase someone even after visibly locating them. But we are sure we will get them, it’s only a matter of days,” a military officer told The Indian Express.
“Generally, terrorists have to arrange for food and that’s when they get to villages. Sometimes, they get their local contacts to supply food in the jungles. This generates human intelligence and gives security forces the opportunity to corner them. However, these terrorists are operating rather carefully,” he added.
Terrorists trekked 22 hours
An India Today report, citing sources, revealed that terrorist travelled through harsh terrain for 22 hours from Kokernag to Pahalgam.
“Those who planned the attack knew about the geography and prepared an escape route for the attackers. It is possible that they may have done a recce for a few days to see at what time the tourist flow is the maximum,” sources were quoted as telling Deccan Herald.
After reaching the area, the attackers conducted a detailed reconnaissance of the Baisaran meadow, carefully assessing the response times of security forces. They observed that the nearest Rashtriya Rifles unit would require around 40 to 45 minutes to reach the closest road head, followed by an additional 30 to 35 minutes of trekking to get to Baisaran. Similarly, they calculated that the closest Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel would take roughly an hour to arrive at the site.
As per the report, the forensic analysis has confirmed that AK-47 and M4 assault rifles were used by the terrorists during the attack.
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