NIA quizzes Valley tour operators, pony guides

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is interrogating several individuals including pony operators, vendors, photographers and those employed in adventure sports activities to recreate the sequence of events as well as establish if they were involved in any way in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, people familiar with the development said on Tuesday.

- Neeraj Chauhan

NEW DELHI:

Among those interrogated was the zipline operator at Baisaran meadow, who was heard chanting "Allahu Akbar" even as the attack began in a video shot by a tourist that surfaced on Monday. Several so-called overground workers (OGWs), those offering logistical support to terrorists, are also being questioned to find out their possible role in reconnaissance, sheltering the terrorists before and after the attacks, or providing them with weapons, said an officer, who asked not to be named.

Intelligence agencies have information that some of the attackers — including two Pakistanis — Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai and Hashim Musa alias Suleiman —and local operative Adil Hussain Thoker, are still hiding somewhere in the mountains of the Pir Panjal range and have not crossed over to Pakistan yet. "All technical and human intelligence is being used to locate them," the officer cited above said.