Srinagar: In a disturbing detail emerging from the preliminary investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack, officials found that the trousers of nearly 20 of the 26 male victims had been unzipped or pulled down — a suspected attempt by the attackers to determine the victims’ religion before executing them, according to a report.
Security officials, including personnel from the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the local administration, believe the terrorists targeted Hindu men after confirming their identity through multiple means. The assailants reportedly checked identity cards, forced victims to recite the Kalma — an Islamic declaration of faith — and inspected their bodies for circumcision, a practice traditionally followed by Muslim men, the report added.
These actions were allegedly used to separate non-Muslim men, who were then executed at close range. Survivors corroborated these details, saying the attackers demanded Aadhaar cards, driving licenses and religious recitations, before forcing victims to remove their lower garments.
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Grieving families, unaware of the victims’ condition, received the bodies already shrouded by rescue personnel. The investigative team tasked with documenting the attack noted these disturbing signs during post-retrieval examinations for the FIR.
Of the 26 people killed in the attack, 25 were confirmed to be Hindu men, underscoring the communal nature of the massacre.
According to the report, the investigation has since gathered momentum. Nearly 70 suspected overground workers and known terror sympathisers from Tral, Pulwama, Anantnag and Kulgam are currently being questioned by a joint team comprising the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing.
“Initially, around 1,500 people were detained for questioning,” a senior Jammu and Kashmir official said. “We’ve narrowed the list to 70 individuals who are strongly suspected of having provided logistical support to the Pahalgam terror attack team. We are confident of identifying the masterminds soon,” he added.
PNN & Agencies
