Rough trek and help from local cadres: How terrorists entered Kashmir from Pakistan to wreak havoc in Pahalgam

It’s been six days since the Pahalgam attack — six days since terrorists emerged from the pine tree forests near the Baisaran meadow in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam and gunned down 26 people, mostly tourists. The incident has stunned India and led to ties with Pakistan further deteriorating — the Modi government has taken a series of punitive measures in the aftermath of the attack.

But amid all of this, there are many questions that still need to be answered about the attack itself. Where did the terrorists come from? How long were they in India? How did they enter India? With the National Investigation Agency (NIA) taking over the case, there’s hope that soon we shall have the answers to these questions.

In fact, initial investigations already reveal some clues as to how the gun-toting terrorists — they were wielding AK-47s and US-made M4 carbine rifles — crossed the border and entered India. Here’s what we have learned so far.

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Entry into India with help of local cadres

Security agencies are now on the lookout for three terrorists, namely Pakistani terrorists Hashim Musa and Ali Bhai, along with Jammu and Kashmir local Adil Hussain Thoker . Security personnel have said that Thoker was the principal architect of the Pahalgam attack.

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Musa and Ali appeared to have entered India in the last year-and-a-half, while Thoker acted as their local guide in Kashmir. The Pakistan nationals have been operating in the Kashmir Valley for nearly two years, as per an Indian Express report.

“We believe he [Musa] entered from the Samba and Kathua side and then moved towards Kishtwar,” a source told ThePrint.

Musa likely infiltrated in September 2023 and was active mainly in the Budgam district. Ali came to India after Musa and was operating in the Dachigam forests on the outskirts of Srinagar city, Indian Express reported, citing police records.

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Thoker, a resident of Gurre village in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, travelled to Pakistan in 2018 and returned to the Valley last year, as per the records. Police believe he was a local guide of the “well-trained and battle-hardened” Pakistani terrorists.

Security personnel have suspicions that the two Pakistani terrorists gained entry into India with the help of 15 local Kashmiri overground workers (OGWs) and terror aides. As per a Times of India report, these 15 arranged the logistics and also received arms consignments from Pakistan.

Additionally, the Times of India report states that authorities have been able to intercept a chat in which three of the OGWs, who have been detained, are talking to each other about Pakistani terrorists in Pahalgam and how to “help” them.

Trekking for 22 hours, carrying out extensive recce

Investigations have revealed that once the Pahalgam terrorists had gained access into Jammu and Kashmir, they travelled through harsh terrain for 22 hours from Kokernag to Pahalgam to carry out the dastardly attack.

Once they reached the location, they carried out an extensive recce of the Baisaran meadow , taking into account the response time of security personnel. For instance, they studied that the closest Rashtriya Rifles unit would take about 40-45 minutes to reach the nearest road head from where they would have to trek for another 30-35 minutes to reach Baisaran. Similarly, they knew that the closest Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) would take an hour to reach the spot.

“Those who planned the attack knew about the geography and prepared an escape route for the attackers. It is possible that they may have done a recce for a few days to see at what time the tourist flow is the maximum,” sources were quoted as telling Deccan Herald.

Once they studied and planned, the terrorists launched their attack on the fateful day of April 22, coinciding with US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to India , gunning down innocent civilians one after another, causing death and terror in the area.

Sources have been quoted as saying that on the day, two terrorists emerged from behind nearby shops, ordering victims to recite the Kalma before shooting four people dead at point-blank range. This led to panic with other tourists running helter-skelter. At that opportunity, two more terrorists appeared from near the zipline area and began to shoot more civilians.

Pahalgam terrorists still hiding in forests

After the attack, the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam carnage fled, taking cover in the dense forests in the area. The security personnel have been carrying out intense combing operations since the attack, hunting for the perpetrators behind the incident.

The Indian Express has reported that security forces have, in fact, located the Pahalgam attackers “at least four times” in different spots over the past days, came “very close” to cornering them in the forests of South Kashmir — and, on one such occasion, even exchanged fire with them.

The Indian news outlet reports that the terrorists fled from the authorities after receiving word from local residents and intelligence inputs. “It’s a cat and mouse game. There have been moments where they have been visibly located. But by the time they could be engaged, they had escaped. The forests are very thick and it’s not easy to chase someone even after visibly locating them. But we are sure we will get them, it’s only a matter of days,” an officer from the military establishment said to Indian Express.

Sources have further added that the terrorists are exercising utmost caution while “arranging supplies”. “Generally, terrorists have to arrange for food and that’s when they get to villages. Sometimes, they get their local contacts to supply food in the jungles. This generates human intelligence and gives security forces the opportunity to corner them. However, these terrorists are operating rather carefully,” an officer said.

The NIA also issued a statement on Sunday, which said that entry and exit points were being closely scrutinised for clues on the modus operandi of the terrorists. The NIA teams, aided by forensic and other experts, are checking the entire area thoroughly for evidence to expose the terror conspiracy.

It’s important to note here that security officials, who are trying to piece together what occurred during the tragedy, have received a breakthrough as a photographer, who had perched himself atop a tree, has recorded the entire sequence of events. This has become a vital piece of evidence, as it provides a clear timeline and helps in the identification of the perpetrators. Moreover, an Indian Army official, who was on holiday with his family at the spot during the attack, provided a clear and concise narration of the events, helping officials to gain a clear picture of the carnage that occurred.

With inputs from agencies