Pahalgam terror attack: NIA gets 5-day remand of two accused

Officials said that the two men - Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar from Pahalgam- were produced before the court of additional district and sessions judge, Jammu, Ritesh Kumar Dubey

A local court in Jammu on Monday granted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) five-day remand of the two accused who were arrested for harbouring three Pakistani terrorists before the April 22 Pahalgam attack, officials said.

Accused, held by NIA, being taken to be produced in the court on Monday. (PTI)

Officials said that the two men - Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar from Pahalgam- were produced before the court of additional district and sessions judge, Jammu, Ritesh Kumar Dubey. The court sent the duo into NIA custody for five days till June 27.

The NIA had arrested the two men on Sunday for allegedly harbouring the terrorists who killed 26 civilians in Pahalgam two months ago, the agency said on Sunday, marking the first set of arrests in connection with the terror attack.

The NIA had said that Parvaiz and Bashir knew about the terror affiliations of the three gunmen and despite that provided them with shelter, food and logistical support in the days leading up to the April 22 attack.

The duo has also disclosed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack, and have also confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated to the proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the anti-terror agency has said.

The Resistance Front, a proxy group for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba organisation, claimed responsibility for the attack. Indian agencies say the group is a front used by Pakistan to avoid international sanctions.

India responded with Operation Sindoor on May 7, bombing nine terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in pre-dawn strikes that killed at least 100 militants. The operation sparked four days of cross-border fighting involving fighter jets, missiles and artillery.