15 Kashmiri Muslims aided the Pahalgam attackers; India is overlooking the enemy within

After the Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the dastardly jihad terror attack on Hindu tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on Tuesday, April 22, India came down heavily on Pakistan. This incident has intensified Indo-Pakistani tensions, raising concerns of potential military escalation in the region.

While Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with Pakistan, it is not the only Indian state to do so. Jammu and Kashmir has a 1,222-kilometer (759-mile) boundary with Pakistan. Rajasthan, meanwhile, shares a 1,179-kilometer (732-mile) border, and Gujarat maintains a 506-kilometer (314-mile) border with India’s western neighbor. But cross-border terrorism takes place only in J&K in particular. For how long can the Indian government blame Pakistan alone, and how many more killings of Hindus will force them to accept the obvious?

Indian security agencies have already identified 15 local individuals, aged between 20 and 40, suspected of aiding the assailants involved in the Pahalgam attack. The individuals — Adil Rehman Dentoo, Asif Ahmed Sheikh, Ahsan Ahmed Sheikh, Haris Nazir, Aamir Nazir Wani, Yawar Ahmed Bhat, Asif Ahmed Khanday, Naseer Ahmed Wani, Shahid Ahmed Kutay, Aamir Ahmed Dar, Adnan Safi Dar, Zubair Ahmed Wani, Haroon Rashid Ganai, and Zakir Ahmed Ganie — are believed to be Over Ground Workers (OGWs), a term used for local collaborators who provide logistical support, shelter, and guidance to terrorists.

Investigators say these OGWs maintained contact with Pakistani jihadis, assisting them in navigating the region and evading security forces. A multi-agency probe has identified five key suspects, three of whom have already been detained and are likely to face arrest. Authorities are actively pursuing the remaining two.

All five suspects were reportedly present near the attack site on the day of the strike, with cellphone records confirming their activity in the area. Electronic surveillance also revealed a chat in which the detained individuals discussed aiding Pakistani terrorists in Pahalgam. Sources add that all 15 individuals from south Kashmir had been previously indexed by police for their ties to terrorist networks, and are believed to have supported multiple attacks in the region over recent years.

Following news of the terror attack, certain pro-Islamic voices in India began circulating narratives praising so-called “God-sent pony handlers” who allegedly risked their lives to rescue tourists. However, eyewitness accounts tell a different story. Hindu tourist Rishi Bhatt, who narrowly escaped the targeted killings, recounted a disturbing experience involving a local zipline operator. According to Bhatt, the operator, who is Muslim, seemed aware of the impending attack and, just as gunfire erupted, reportedly chanted “Allahu akbar” three times with a broad smile. Bhatt recorded the incident on his phone, and the authorities are now interrogating the zipline operator.

Another female tourist has alleged that a local pony operator harassed her during her trip. According to her account, the man persistently questioned her about her religion, whether she had visited the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, and if she had read the Quran, even asking if she could read it in Hindi. The woman claims that the man, later identified as Ayaz Ahmed Jungal, may have been directly involved in the recent terror attack. At one point during the ride, she says he retrieved a phone hidden in his boot and was overheard saying he was “sending 35 people into the valley.” He then reportedly added, “Plan A has failed,” and made references to firearms. “That’s when I became really frightened,” she told authorities. Jungal has since been detained for questioning.

These accounts, shared by survivors who narrowly escaped death, stand in sharp contrast to the idealized narratives promoted by some who downplay or romanticize Islamic violence.

The jihad ideology that fueled the violent displacement of Kashmiri Pandits decades ago appears to persist among younger generations. Many in the region openly align with jihad groups that target Hindu civilians. The funerals of jihadis killed by Indian forces often draw large crowds, and figures such as Burhan Wani are idolized through social media, where calls for jihad and revenge continue to circulate.

Security officials warn that these are not simply foreign fighters infiltrating from across the border. In many cases, they are radicalized locals — Kashmiri Muslims — who have turned against their fellow citizens.

This is not the first time that Kashmiri locals have been found to have been working hand-in-glove with jihadis who have orchestrated deadly attacks on civilians and the Indian army. Their role in the ethnic cleansing is widely known and acknowledged.  The 2019 Pulwama attack that claimed the lives of 44 Army personnel was executed by Adil Ahmad Dar, a local youth backed by the Jaish-e-Mohammed.

In October 2021, the National Investigation Agency arrested four OGWs, identified as Suhail Ahmad Thokar, Kamran Ashraf Reshi, Rayid Bashir, and Hanan Gulzar Dar, associated with various jihad terror organizations, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. They were found involved in a conspiracy to undertake violent jihad terror acts in Jammu and Kashmir and other major cities.

In February 2022, the State Investigation Agency arrested ten individuals working as OGWs for the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed group. Operating as sleeper cells in South and Central Kashmir, these individuals were involved in recruiting youth, arranging finances, and transporting weapons at the direction of JeM commanders.

In September 2023, J&K Police apprehended Awseef Ramazan Bhat and Moien Amin Bhat and charged them with possession of a Chinese pistol, ammunition, and a hand grenade. Investigations revealed they were in contact with Pakistani handlers and were planning attacks on security forces.

In July 2024, two local youths were arrested for aiding terrorists in an ambush on Army vehicles in Billawar, Kathua district, that resulted in the deaths of five soldiers.

While the Modi administration is cognizant of the dangerous reality of local Kashmiri jihadis, public acknowledgment remains sensitive. As the leader of a constitutionally secular nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi must carefully balance national security concerns with the country’s commitment to secular governance. But for how long can they evade what’s evident after all?