NIA names Hafiz Saeed as mastermind in Pahalgam terror attack

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a supplementary chargesheet in a Jammu court, formally naming Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed as the mastermind behind the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Baisaran Valley last year (April 22). TFor those who need a recap, the attack killed 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local guide/pony operator. Saeed has been charged both in his individual capacity and as the head of LeT and its proxy outfit, The Resistance Front (TRF).

According to the NIA, Pakistan was the hidden brain off the conspiracy. The supplementary chargesheet builds on the original 1,597-page chargesheet filed last December, which named Pakistan-based handler Sajid Jatt (alias Langda), three slain Pakistani terrorists, and two arrested locals. It includes scientific, forensic, and technical evidence, such as data from recovered phones showing cross-border coordination. Saeed faces stringent charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Investigations are ongoing to fully dismantle the Pakistan-backed terror network. The attack, described as religion-based targeted killings, triggered a brief armed conflict between India and Pakistan. Saeed, India’s most-wanted terrorist and accused in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, remains in Pakistani custody on separate charges. He has had a bounty of $10 million on his head (courtesy of Washington) since 2012.