New Delhi: Indian intelligence agencies have traced the digital footprints of the Pahalgam attackers to safehouses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, according to reports. These footprints establish Pakistan connect in the attacks, reported the Hindustan Times. Moreover, there are indications that a remote control-room—similar to the one that was used in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks—was used, the Hindustan Times report quoting anonymous highly-placed officials directly involved in the investigation stated.
At least 26 Indian tourists, all men, and mostly Hindu, were killed in the terror attack on Tuesday. It is one of the worst attacks seen in the valley in recent years.
Reports claim that preliminary forensic analysis and statements from the survivors reveal that the five terrorists involved in the killings were well-equipped. The attackers, according to eye-witnesses, reportedly had automatic weapons, including AK rifles and sophisticated communication devices. Some of them even wore military-style fatigues, reports claimed.
“Our intelligence intercepts suggest a direct link with operatives based in Pakistan. We have traced the digital footprint to some safehouses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, which have been the key hubs for Lashkar-e-Taiba’s previous major attacks in India that are supervised by Pakistan army and the ISI from control centres,” an intelligence officer told Hindustan Times.
Another anonymous person, quoted by the Hindustan Times, stated that in December last year and January this year, “there were alerts that Pakistan army and ISI were actively facilitating infiltration of highly skilled terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad from the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) into India.”
Meanwhile, watch the operation launched by Indian Army to nab the terrorists here:
#WATCH | Indian Army has launched a joint search operation with the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police in Poonch’s Lasana forest area to nab terrorists
(Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/cdopHYdpZa
— ANI (@ANI) April 24, 2025
‘55 to 60 highly-trained foreign terrorists in the valley’
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), in February and March, carried out extensive searches at several locations in Jammu and Kashmir to look for these infiltrated terrorists and overground workers, reported Hindustan Times. It is also being suspected that the terrorists were guided by local overground workers, who offered them food, shelter and money at different locations.
In a statement issued in March, NIA had claimed that “terrorists were believed to have made their way to the hinterland districts of Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar, Reasi, Rajouri, Poonch, and also to the Kashmir valley.” If reports are to be believed, there are at least 55 to 60 highly trained foreign terrorists in the Valley.
‘Terrorists using Alpine Quest app, tech…’
Pakistani spy agency ISI, according to a second officer quoted by Hindustan Times, has equipped terrorists with Alpine Quest app in its offline version. This is a navigation app often used by professional trekkers.
“There is information that ISI has provided details of Indian security forces camps, police convoy movement, and barricades with this app to the infiltrated terrorists,” he told Hindustan Times. The officer also reportedly stated that the terrorists were also using encrypted radio communication devices with servers in Pakistan.
