Two arrested for harbouring Pak terrorists behind Pahalgam attack
PTC News Desk: In a significant breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday confirmed the arrest of two persons for allegedly providing shelter and logistical support to the attackers. The two men have been identified as Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, who also disclosed the names of three of the terrorists involved in the April 22 attack, in which 25 tourists and a local were killed.
"The two men - Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote, Pahalgam and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park, Pahalgam - have disclosed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack, and have also confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated to the proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)," the NIA said in a statement.
"Parvaiz and Bashir had knowingly harboured the three armed terrorists at a seasonal dhok (hut) at Hill Park before the attack, as per NIA investigations. The two men had provided food, shelter and logistical support to the terrorists, who had, on the fateful afternoon, selectively killed the tourists on the basis of their religious identity, making it one of the most gruesome terrorist attacks ever," it added.
The two accused have been arrested under Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which relates to punishment for harboring a terrorist. The NIA has said further investigation into the case is on.
The arrests have been made exactly two months after several armed terrorists gunned down 26 innocent civilians at the Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam. This prompted a major military conflict between India and Pakistan with the former launching precision strikes under the banner of Operation Sindoor on terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) on May 7.
- With inputs from agencies
