Srinagar, May 24: The National Investigation Agency is investigating an international supply chain after a US-manufactured GoPro camera recovered from Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack was traced to a commercial distributor in China, officials said.
According to investigators, the high-tech camera was recovered from terrorists killed during an encounter in the Dachigam forests near Srinagar following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.
Officials said the device has opened a critical line of investigation into the external logistics and procurement networks supporting terror outfits operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
The probe revealed that the camera was originally manufactured by GoPro and later shipped to an authorised distributor in China.
Investigators are now trying to determine how the device eventually reached operatives linked to the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Senior officials believe tracing the movement of the camera could expose underground supply chains used to transfer tactical equipment, electronic devices and weapons to terror groups active in Kashmir.
“The wider investigation remains open and efforts are underway to identify the procurement channels through which the device reached terrorists,” officials said.
Sources indicated investigators are also examining whether such equipment may have been routed through intermediaries or supplied through networks linked to Pakistan-based handlers.
Cameras increasingly used by terrorists in Kashmir
Security agencies said terror outfits in Jammu and Kashmir have increasingly been using cameras and recording devices to document attacks for propaganda and psychological warfare purposes.
The GoPro recovery comes amid intensified investigations into the April 22, 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadow, where 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.
The attack triggered India’s counter-terror response under “Operation Sindoor,” targeting terror infrastructure linked to groups operating from Pakistan-controlled territories.
The three terrorists involved in the attack were later killed during a security forces operation in the Dachigam forests.
Officials also confirmed that at least three AK-47 rifles recovered during the investigation were of Chinese origin, further strengthening suspicions about cross-border procurement networks.
NIA files chargesheet in Pahalgam terror attack
The National Investigation Agency has filed a chargesheet against six accused, including three slain terrorists identified as Faisal Jatt alias Suleman, Habeeb Tahir alias Chottu and Hamza Afghani.
The agency also named Lashkar commander Sajid Jatt alias Sajid Jutt in the chargesheet.
Two local residents, Bashir Ahmad Jothatd and Parvaiz Ahmad, were accused of providing food, shelter and logistical support to the terrorists a day before the attack.
Investigators said evidence recovered from the Dachigam encounter site, including a blanket and DNA samples, helped establish links between the terrorists and local support networks.
Security agencies are continuing efforts to identify whether additional individuals were involved in facilitating the attack or assisting the terrorists in their escape route from Pahalgam.
