An eyewitness has revealed that the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam terror attack celebrated the killings by firing four shots into the air. This key testimony was recorded by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The eyewitness was located and identified under the leadership of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, along with central investigative agencies.
“After killing the civilians, the gunmen stopped him while he was leaving Baisaran. They asked him to recite the Kalima. When he began speaking in the local language, they spared him. They then celebrated by firing four shots into the air,” media reported, citing senior officials.
Following his statement, four spent bullet casings were recovered from the site. The eyewitness also disclosed that Parvaiz and Bashir, who have been arrested in connection with the attack, were present in Baisaran and were involved in storing the terrorists’ belongings.
Parvaiz admitted that three terrorists visited his house a day before the incident. They were armed and demanded food. His partner prepared a meal for them. The terrorists remained there for about four hours, during which they asked about the security arrangements in Baisaran and inquired about the places and timings where tourists usually gathered, media reported, quoting NIA sources.
Before leaving, the terrorists purchased rice and spices from Parvaiz’s partner and paid using five ₹500 notes. They later met Bashir, the report added.
The terror attack occurred in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22. Twenty-six innocent civilians were killed in the assault. In response, India launched a massive retaliatory strike on May 7, targeting nine terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation was named Operation Sindoor.
The Indian offensive targeted nine terror camps, including those located in Bahawalpur and Muridke. The Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur was destroyed, along with the Lashkar-e-Taiba base in Muridke. Over 100 terrorists were eliminated during Operation Sindoor. Among the high-value targets neutralised were Yousuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf, and Mudassir Ahmed. All nine terror camps were decimated.
Eventually, India agreed to halt its military operations at Pakistan’s request, bringing an end to the series of strikes.
