How Did Amit Shah Unveil the NIA Probe on the Pahalgam Terror Attack?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 3,000 hours of interrogation conducted by the NIA.
- Over 1,000 individuals questioned to ensure justice.
- Confirmed match of bullets used in the attack.
- Three Pakistani terrorists eliminated during Operation Mahadev.
- Two local accomplices apprehended.
New Delhi, July 29 (NationPress) Union Home Minister Amit Shah revealed details regarding the National Investigation Agency (NIA)'s extensive 3,000-hour-long interrogation involving over 1,000 individuals to ensure justice for the victims of the Pahalgam attack.
He noted that the ammunition recovered from the terrorists neutralized during Operation Mahadev corresponded entirely with that used in the Pahalgam incident, confirming the involvement of the same terrorists in the tragic deaths of 26 innocent individuals in Baisaran Valley on April 22.
HM Shah disclosed that three Pakistani terrorists implicated in the incident have been eliminated during Operation Mahadev. Additionally, authorities confiscated two AK-47 rifles and one M9 rifle reportedly used in the attack, while two local accomplices who aided the terrorists have been apprehended.
During a Lok Sabha discussion on Operation Sindoor, he stated, "The NIA detained individuals who provided asylum to the terrorists. Upon retrieving the bodies of the terrorists in Srinagar, four witnesses verified their identities as attackers from Pahalgam. However, we proceeded cautiously and did not rush to conclusions regarding these individuals."
He confirmed that the FSL report on the cartridges was already in possession at the Chandigarh central FSL. After the terrorists were killed, three rifles were confiscated — an M9 American rifle and two AK-47s. The casings linked to the Pahalgam attack were also identified as belonging to these rifles, yet they refrained from drawing conclusions based solely on this evidence.
"The rifles were quickly sent to Chandigarh, and empty shell casings were generated through extensive firing overnight. Two shells matched, as did the grooves on the rifles, affirming that these were indeed the weapons used to murder innocent citizens," HM Shah elaborated.
Presenting the NIA report, he stated, "I possess the report, which has been cross-verified by six experts. This morning at 4:46 a.m., they confirmed via video call that these are unequivocally the same bullets utilized in the attack."
He remarked that once the Pakistan-backed Laskhar-e-Taiba affiliate, The Resistance Front (TRF), claimed responsibility for the attack, the investigation was promptly assigned to the NIA, recognized globally for tackling terror-related incidents.
Shah also commended the efforts of all security personnel, stating, "They exerted maximum effort to ensure these terrorists did not breach our borders."
He emphasized the rigorous nature of the investigation, noting, "This was a demanding inquiry, involving over 3,000 hours of questioning around 1,055 people, including families of the deceased, tourists, pony operators, and shopkeepers, all meticulously recorded on video."
Further, sketches were developed based on testimonies, leading to the identification of individuals who sheltered the terrorists post-attack, resulting in their detention.
"The empty bullet casings were dispatched to the Chandigarh FSL for analysis. Tests confirmed that the same rifles had indeed been employed in the terror attack," he continued.
Moreover, Shah noted that the terrorists responsible for another terror-related murder have also been neutralized. Sketches were drawn, and the mothers of two detained accomplices identified the bodies of all three terrorists. Verification through the FSL was further confirmed today at 4 a.m."