New Delhi: Teams from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have begun interviewing eyewitnesses and survivors of the April 22 Lashkar-e-Tayyabba attack at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, south Kashmir. Investigators showed six to seven photographs to tourists present during the ambush; several identified Aadil Thokar, alias Aadil Guree of Bijbehara, as the shooter. The assailants fled into the dense Pir Panjal pine forests immediately after opening fire, officials said.Although the NIA has not yet formally taken over the case, a unit from Srinagar arrived on Tuesday evening and was joined by a Delhi team on Wednesday to assist Jammu & Kashmir Police. Security forces — including the Army, CRPF and local police — have intensified combing operations in both south and north Kashmir, resulting in multiple encounters and the Friday elimination of top LeT commander Altaf Lalli in Bandipora district.Preliminary inquiry has identified two prime suspects: Aadil Thokar, reportedly trained by LeT in Pakistan after crossing the border in 2018, and Asif Sheikh, a Tral resident accused of conspiring in the Pahalgam massacre. Their family homes were partly destroyed when explosives stored on-site detonated during searches. Both men remain at large, and relatives say they have no knowledge of their whereabouts.Eyewitness accounts indicate that four gunmen corralled tourists at point-blank range, while one to three lookouts guarded against security reinforcements. Survivors also reported that the attackers wore body cameras to record their actions. Security agencies have released sketches of three additional suspects — Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah and Abu Talha (code-named Moosa, Yunus and Asif) — all believed to be Pakistani nationals involved in prior incidents in Poonch. A reward of ₹20 lakh has been announced for information leading to their capture.Officials warned of further threats to vulnerable targets — railway infrastructure, Kashmiri Pandits and non-local workers — and have instructed railway security personnel to avoid public markets. Intelligence reports suggest Pakistan’s ISI may plan targeted strikes in Srinagar and Ganderbal districts. Meanwhile, a large-scale anti-terror operation continues in the forested slopes around Pahalgam, with UAVs, drones and sniffer dogs deployed; no contact has yet been made with the fleeing assailants.
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