The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is meticulously investigating the supply chain of a US-manufactured GoPro camera that ended up in the hands of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists involved in the Pahalgam terror attack. This inquiry runs parallel to the comprehensive charge sheet already filed in connection with the attack, senior officials have revealed. The high-tech camera was recovered from the terrorists who were killed in Dachigam forests last July, following the deadly assault. This discovery has initiated a critical investigation into the logistical networks that support terror outfits operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
The increasing use of cameras by terror groups in Jammu and Kashmir to record ambushes highlights a strategy of leveraging propaganda and psychological warfare. Investigators are focused on uncovering the specifics of this supply chain, which could expose vulnerabilities and possible complicity within the underground networks responsible for funneling funds, hardware, and tactical gear across borders to anti-India organizations.
Information reaching TahirRihat.com suggests that the NIA has formally contacted GoPro Inc. in the United States to determine the original destination of the recovered device. The US-based manufacturer confirmed that the camera was initially shipped to an authorized commercial distributor in China, according to officials familiar with the investigation.
The investigation has now shifted its focus to tracing the path of the camera from the Chinese distributor to LeT handlers. One possibility being explored is whether the Pakistani army purchased these cameras and then supplied them to terror groups. India currently lacks a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with China, meaning such investigations must proceed through diplomatic channels. The ongoing investigation seeks to determine how the camera, which originated in China, was diverted to a banned terrorist organization operating in Jammu and Kashmir (According to officials familiar with the developments).
While the charge sheet details the immediate operational aspects of the Baisaran attack, the broader investigation into the terror network remains open, according to an official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. As per the source, the procurement channels are being thoroughly investigated to determine how a commercial camera, originally tracked to China, was diverted to a banned terrorist organization operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Baisaran meadows attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, resulted in the deaths of 26 people, primarily tourists. This prompted the government to launch Operation Sindoor, targeting terror outfits based in Pakistan-controlled territories, including the main camps of LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed. The three terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack were killed during an encounter with the Army’s special forces in the Dachigam forests.
At least two AK-47 rifles recovered from the attack site in Baisaran, and one from Dachigam forests on the outskirts of Srinagar, were found to have originated in China. It is believed that the three terrorists escaped from the Baisaran meadows through the Pahalgam jungles, possibly using a vehicle, as they had approximately 40 minutes before security forces recognized the scale of the attack. Preliminary investigations indicated that a vehicle with a Shopian registration number was seen on the road leading out of Pahalgam, but its trail was lost due to malfunctioning CCTV cameras on the roads.
Investigators are continuing to investigate whether additional people were involved in the massacre. The NIA has filed a charge sheet against the Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit and six individuals, including the three slain terrorists identified as Faisal Jatt, Habeeb Tahir, and Hamza Afghani. The charge sheet also names the self-styled commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Sajid Jatt.
Bashir Ahmad Jothatd and Parvaiz Ahmad, two local residents, have been named in the charge sheet for allegedly providing food and shelter to the terrorists for five hours before the attack. They allegedly supplied the terrorists with essentials such as turmeric, red chillies, salt, a cooking utensil, blankets, and a tarpaulin. A blanket recovered from the Dachigam encounter site was forensically linked to Bashir’s home through DNA analysis of a hair strand found on it, confirming it was the same blanket taken from his home on April 21.
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an independent journalist, activist, and digital media professional from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is best known for his work as the Online Editor at The Chenab Times.
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