The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has achieved major success in its probe into the Pahalgam terrorist attack by arresting two men, who allegedly provided shelter and logistical support to the attackers, the anti-terror agency said on Sunday.

The two men have been identified as Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, who also disclosed the names of three of the terrorists involved in the April 22 attack, in which 25 tourists and a local were killed.

"In a major breakthrough in the Pahalgam terror attack case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two men for harbouring the terrorists who had carried out the horrendous attack that killed 26 innocent tourists and grievously injured 16 others," an NIA statement said.

"The two men - Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote, Pahalgam and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park, Pahalgam – have disclosed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack, and have also confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated to the proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)," it added.

As per the investigation, Parvaiz and Bashir had knowingly harboured the three armed terrorists at a seasonal dhok (hut) at Hill Park before the attack, the agency added.

"The two men had provided food, shelter and logistical support to the terrorists, who had, on the fateful afternoon, selectively killed the tourists on the basis of their religious identity, making it one of the most gruesome terrorist attacks ever," the statement read further.

The anti-terror agency has arrested the duo under Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

On April 22, four heavily-armed terrorists stormed the Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam and shot Hindu men at point-blank range after asking about their religion. This prompted a major military conflict between India and Pakistan with the former launching precision airstrikes on terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK).

Source: India Today