Shop Opened Just 15 Days Before Pahalgam Attack: Owner Under NIA Scanner

Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir – May 4, 2025:

In a major development in the probe into the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, central agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), are questioning a local shopkeeper who had opened his shop merely 15 days before the attack and remained closed on the day of the incident.

Sources said that the NIA, which took over the investigation following Union Home Ministry directions, has questioned nearly 100 locals, including pony operators, photographers, shopkeepers, and adventure sports workers. The questioning revealed that several individuals claimed they were spared by the attackers based on their accent or after their faith was identified.

A source stated, “The man who didn’t open his shop on the day of the incident has come under scrutiny. His Internet Protocol Detail Records (IPDR) are being examined to gather further intelligence.”

The NIA is also reportedly analyzing past terror incidents to identify possible links, including the killing of three Army personnel in South Kashmir’s Kulgam in August 2023 and the attack on Air Force personnel in Poonch last year.

Earlier this week, the NIA gave a clean chit to a zipline operator seen chanting “Allahu Akbar” in a tourist video. Officials confirmed he panicked during the attack and fled without informing authorities.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated post-attack, with India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, revoking visas for Pakistani nationals, closing the Attari Integrated Check Post, expelling Pakistani diplomats, and banning all imports and transit of goods from Pakistan.

The NIA continues to build a broader case, probing cross-border conspiracy angles and examining all evidence to trace the attackers and their network.