Pahalgam attack: Terrorist harbourers remanded in 5-day NIA custody

JAMMU: A local court in Jammu on Monday granted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) a five-day remand of two men arrested for harbouring the Pakistani terrorists behind the Pahalgam massacre on April 22.

NIA had arrested the duo — Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote, Pahalgam, and Bashir Ahmad Jothar from Hill Park, Pahalgam — on Sunday in the first major breakthrough in the investigations into the terror attack that left 26 dead and 16 injured.

Both were produced in the court of the Additional Sessions Judge, Jammu, who remanded them in NIA custody till June 27.

Before the attack, Parvaiz and Bashir had sheltered three armed terrorists at a seasonal dhok (hut) at Hill Park. They also provided the terrorists with food and logistical support, facilitating them to execute the killings at Baisaran Valley by selectively targeting tourists based on their religious identity, NIA investigation has so far revealed.

NIA claimed that the arrested duo, during questioning, had disclosed the identities of the three terrorists involved in the attack, and confirmed that the trio was from Pakistan and was affiliated with the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit.