NIA finds Aadhaar and social media trail linking Pakistani militants to Pahalgam attack

The National Investigation Agency has found Aadhaar credentials, Facebook profiles, and encrypted communications on devices recovered from three slain Pakistani terrorists, revealing identity misuse, social-media manipulation, and deep-rooted cross-border terror facilitation networks

India’s premier counter-terror agency, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), has uncovered alarming digital evidence from the mobile phones of three Pakistani terrorists involved in the April 22 Pahalgam attack. The recovered data included Indian Aadhaar credentials, Facebook account details, and personal photographs—pointing to the systematic exploitation of India’s digital identity infrastructure.

The three militants — Suleiman Shah, Hamza Afghani (alias “Afghan”), and Jibran — were eliminated in an encounter on July 28 in Jammu & Kashmir’s Dachigam forest. Forensic experts at the National Forensic Science University, Gandhinagar, analyzed the seized phones, revealing links between fake Indian identities and encrypted communication platforms.

Cross-border networks under NIA scrutiny

Investigators suspect that the trio’s operation was supported by local facilitators who helped download fake documents, set up fraudulent phone numbers, and intercept OTPs to activate communication networks. Alongside the digital evidence, rifles, Pakistani identity papers, and satellite phones were also recovered—further confirming the coordinated nature of the plot.

According to NIA sources, the agency has sought an additional 45 days to examine encrypted chats, satellite data, and international connections believed to involve Pakistan-based handlers and The Resistance Front (TRF). The findings are expected to be detailed in the upcoming charge sheet.

Security experts have warned that the blending of Aadhaar misuse, false social profiles, and encrypted communications presents a serious national security concern. The case, they say, underscores the urgent need to strengthen India’s identity verification systems, monitor social media misuse, and tighten cross-border intelligence collaboration to safeguard the nation’s digital sovereignty.