Overview
- The Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025, left 26 dead, primarily tourists, marking the deadliest civilian assault in Kashmir since Article 370 was revoked in 2019.
- Investigators identified five attackers: three Pakistani nationals—Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah, and Abu Talha—and two Kashmiri operatives trained in Pakistan.
- The attackers, armed with M4 carbines and AK-47s, targeted civilians based on religious identity, using Urdu to communicate before executing victims.
- The National Investigation Agency (NIA), led by an Inspector General, has taken over the investigation, with technical forensics underway to trace links to Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
- A Rs 20 lakh reward has been announced for information on the suspects, as authorities intensify a manhunt across the Pir Panjal range.