New Delhi: The investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack has taken a new turn as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has traced a key piece of evidence—a GoPro camera used by the terrorists—to a Chinese supplier.
According to investigators, the terrorists involved in the attack used a GoPro Hero 12 Black series camera while planning and executing the operation. The NIA has now expanded its probe to China to identify the buyer of the device and track the supply chain.
A special NIA court in Jammu has granted permission to the investigation team to seek information from Chinese authorities. The court approved a request submitted by NIA Deputy Inspector General Sandeep Chaudhary, allowing investigators to formally request details related to the camera under Section 112 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
During the investigation, the NIA contacted GoPro authorities in the Netherlands to trace the origin of the camera. The company confirmed that the device, which was activated on January 30, 2020, had been supplied by AE Group International Limited in Dongguan, China.
However, the company reportedly does not have records identifying the final buyer of the device. Investigators are therefore seeking assistance from Chinese authorities to determine who purchased the camera and how it reached the terrorists.
Since India and China do not currently have a bilateral agreement for sharing such investigative information, the request will be made under United Nations conventions related to international crime cooperation.
Officials say identifying the individuals who purchased the camera and those who supplied it to the terrorists is crucial to uncovering the broader network behind the attack.
The Pahalgam terror attack, carried out on April 22, 2025, saw terrorists from the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) open fire on tourists in the Baisaran Valley area. The attack killed 25 tourists and one local resident who attempted to intervene, making it one of the deadliest attacks targeting civilians in the region in recent years.
