JAMMU: A local court on Monday granted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) five-day remand of two accused who were arrested for harbouring the Pakistani terrorists behind the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in April, officials said here.
The two men – Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote, Pahalgam, and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park, Pahalgam – were arrested by NIA on Sunday in the first major breakthrough in the investigations into the attack that left 26 persons, mostly tourists, dead and 16 others injured on April 22.
According to the NIA, the arrested accused have disclosed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack, and have also confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated to the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The two accused were produced in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge, Jammu, Ritesh Kumar Dubey, and were sent to NIA custody for five days till June 27, a court official said.
Parvaiz and Bashir had knowingly harboured the three armed terrorists at a seasonal dhok (hut) at Hill Park before the attack, according to NIA investigations.
The two men had provided food, shelter and logistical support to the terrorists, who had, on the fateful afternoon, selectively killed the tourists on the basis of their religious identity, making it one of the most gruesome terrorist attacks ever, the agency said.
