‘Met terrorists four times’: Aide arrested in Pahalgam attack provided logistics; guided through hills

NEW DELHI: Key details have emerged following the investigation of Mohammad Yousuf Katari, 26, who was arrested for his role in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Officials said on Sunday that Katari met the three terrorists behind the attack—Sulieman alias Asif, Jibran, and Hamza Afghani, four times and provided them logistical support, including an Android phone charger, which became a key piece of evidence leading to his capture, reported PTI.



Katari, a resident of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, reportedly told investigators that he had met the attackers in the Zabarwan hills outside Srinagar. He had also guided them through the difficult terrain.

His arrest followed weeks of investigation, including forensic analysis of items recovered during Operation Mahadev in July, which killed the three terrorists linked to the Pahalgam massacre. Security agencies tracked the partially destroyed phone charger to Katari, confirming his connection to the attackers.

Authorities indicated that Katari’s interrogation may uncover further links in the terror support network in the Kashmir Valley. The case could be transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is already probing the broader conspiracy behind the Pahalgam attack.

The NIA has arrested two individuals so far in connection with the April 22 terror attack for allegedly offering logistical support and shelter to the terrorists.

The April 22 attack in Baisaran, a popular tourist spot often called “mini Switzerland,” marked the deadliest terror attack in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama attack. TRF, a proxy of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), had claimed responsibility.

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