Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has taken over the Pahalgam terror attack investigation, will need all possible help from local people to track down those who shot dead 26 innocent civilians at the Baisaran valley on April 22.
A local videographer has reportedly emerged as a key witness for the NIA.
The man who made a living by filming reels for tourists in Baisaran, captured the entire terror attack on that fateful afternoon, News18 reported.
“This local photographer ran for his life when firing began and perched on a tree to escape the bullets. But he kept videographing the event as it unfolded and recorded the entire terror attack,” a senior official told CNN-News18.
NIA sleuths, who have questioned the videographer, are analysing his videos to identify the terrorists and possible overground workers who may have assisted them.
Initial findings indicated that four terrorists divided themselves into two groups and fired from two sides of the picturesque Baisaran meadow.
Eyewitness said two gunmen were stationed near small shops selling refreshments.
“Around 2.30 pm, two terrorists hiding behind the shops emerged. They first asked the non-locals snacking there about their religion. A few were asked to recite the kalma.. those who couldn’t were killed,” the agency officer said.
It was targeted shooting, rather than indiscriminate firing, as was initially suspected. “They took specific aims at the head of each identified victim,” the official said.
After the two terrorists shot four tourists in the head, the other two emerged from the vicinity and began firing at the fleeing crowd.
NIA has recovered empty cartridges of AK-47 and M4 rifles. “M4s have been used by Pakistani terrorists since the Afghan war ended, serving as further proof of who is behind this,” an intelligence agency official said.
