In a tragic attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian-administered Kashmir, 26 tourists lost their lives following a deadly shooting. Authorities have released the names and sketches of three of the four suspected gunmen involved.
According to a report by NDTV citing police sources, the identified suspects include two Pakistani nationals and one local resident from Anantnag. The fourth suspect remains unidentified.
The attackers have been named as:
- Hashim Musa (alias Suleman), Pakistani
- Ali Bhai (alias Talha Bhai), Pakistani
- Abdul Husain Thokar, from Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir
Police allege all three suspects are linked to the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba. However, Pakistan has firmly denied any involvement in the incident.
Authorities have announced a reward of ₹2 million for any information leading to the suspects, assuring that informants' identities will be kept confidential.
The incident has further strained India-Pakistan relations, with New Delhi suspending visas for Pakistani citizens and pausing the Indus Waters Treaty as part of its response. Pakistan, in turn, labelled India’s actions as "childish" and claimed the attack was a "false flag" operation—a deliberate act designed to blame another country.
Defense analyst Brigadier (Retd.) Ahmed Saeed Minhas from Pakistan stated that India was making baseless accusations without evidence, noting that the attack occurred deep within Indian-controlled territory.
