Pahalgam Terror Attack: One Year Later, How The Investigation Has Progressed And What's Ahead?

Pahalgam Terror Attack Anniversary: A year after the April 22, 2025, attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, the investigation has transitioned from a local manhunt to a wider investigation into cross-border terror networks. The investigation, led by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), involved a detailed reconstruction of the events at the Baisaran meadow. This led to a 1,597-page chargesheet that links the plot to the highest echelons of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its affiliate, The Resistance Front (TRF).

Breakthrough In Pahalgam Probe

The breakthrough in the investigation came through a combination of "meticulous scientific probing" and the interrogation of two local overground workers, Parvaiz Ahmad and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, arrested in June 2025. During the investigation, the duo admitted to harbouring three Pakistani terrorists in a seasonal hut at Hill Park days before the attack, according to News18.

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According to the NIA chargesheet filed in December 2025, the entire operation was orchestrated by LeT chief Hafiz Saeed and TRF head Habibullah Malik (alias Sajid Jatt). Digital forensics and communication intercepts confirmed that the cell was supplied with advanced weaponry, including M4 carbines, and body-mounted cameras to record the killings.

According to investigators, the primary objectives of the strike were to ignite communal unrest across India and to sabotage the Union Territory’s thriving tourism sector.

Who Were Behind The Attack?

The investigation identified the three primary assailants: Faisal Jatt (alias Suleman Shah), Habeeb Tahir (alias Jibran), and Hamza Afghani. Forensic data and eyewitness accounts from the meadow described a harrowing scene where the assailants separated tourists by religion. The attackers forced individuals to recite the Kalima to identify and specifically target Hindu men.

Operation Mahadev

The module was dismantled shortly after the incident during Operation Mahadev. On July 29, 2025, security forces cornered and neutralised all three Pakistani nationals in the Dachigam forests near Srinagar. The recovery of their weapons-mounted cameras provided the final forensic link to the footage recorded during the attack, effectively closing the case on the physical perpetrators.

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Current Status Of The Probe

While the primary shooters have been neutralised, the NIA has transitioned its focus toward the broader 'white-collar' network that provides the intellectual and financial support for such operations. The current investigation is focussed on financing of the TRF and the logistics of infiltration across the border.

As of April 2026, the case remains active in the Special NIA Court in Jammu. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensure that the planners sitting across the border, particularly Sajid Jatt, are held accountable through international legal channels.