New Delhi: Security agencies in India conducted a thorough examination to determine how militants entered the Pahalgam area in Jammu and Kashmir following the terrorist attack that ended the lives of 28 innocent people. The attackers used a cutting-edge mobile application to move through the thick forest lands of Pahalgam until they reached the tourist area that became the deadly target of their assault.
Militants Use ‘Alpine Quest’ App for Targeted Attack
Authorities from intelligence and security agencies confirmed that terrorists employed ‘Alpine Quest’, a GPS navigation app, to move through the forests, which led them to reach the crowded Baisaran tourist area. Embedding with security checks, the app that had participated in previous Jammu forest attacks enabled the militants to hide from detection.
The application operated as a secure platform where militants could guide themselves through challenging terrain because it had encryption features and protected them from detection by Indian intelligence. The terrorists requested religious information from visitors at the location before starting their massacre, which resulted in 28 casualties and numerous serious injuries among survivors.
Pakistan’s Role and Support from Military Handlers
Military handlers from Pakistan were exposed to have assisted terrorists in developing and operating this mobile application. Sources indicate Pakistani handlers taught the militants a complete application operation to maintain silence and effective execution of the attack. Special training about this app was provided to all Pahalgam attack militants by Pakistani military personnel who reportedly helped create the application.
Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad Behind the Attack
The defence agencies had reason to believe the Pahalgam assault operated jointly through the collaboration of Pakistan’s prominent terrorist organisations – Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Using backing from Pakistan’s military and ISI intelligence agency, these organisations send out small hit squads to conduct targeted attacks at various locations within India. These groups demonstrate increasing complex organisational skills through their coordinated use of such methods.
The Objective: To Create Fear Ahead of Amarnath Yatra
The main purpose behind the Pahalgam attack, which intelligence officials blinked together, revolved around creating anxiety among pilgrims and vacationers before the upcoming Amarnath Yatra. The militants staged this assault to destabilise the peaceful atmosphere in Kashmir, as they wanted to prevent people from visiting the region. The analysts responsible for the investigation identified ‘The Resistance Front’ as the mastermind behind the assaults because this organisation functions as a Lashkar-e-Taiba front group that weaponises modern tactics and enhanced combat equipment.
The Role of ‘The Resistance Front’ and Its Hit Squads
The Resistance Front has emerged as a notorious organisation which operates hit squads known as the Falcon Squad that receive specialised training to conduct targeted assassinations and disappear into Kashmir Valley’s dense forests and elevated regions. This hit squad receives command from Pakistan-based leaders and possesses advanced weaponry tools. The operations of these opposition groups perform deadly speed attacks that quickly disappear before security forces can respond.
The ‘Falcon Squad’ represents a new threat because its members combine their expertise in modern weapons with guerrilla warfare tactics for their attacks. Underground support from local operatives enables this squad to conduct missions in hard-to-reach settlements throughout Kashmir so they can continue their operations as a dangerous fighting force in the area.
A Growing Threat: India’s Response
Security agencies under Indian command have boosted their search efforts to find militants while working to destroy their organisation structures in response to the recent attack. Indian forces are adapting to the added operational challenge from the ‘Alpine Quest’ app even though it complicates their intelligence missions. The government works to protect future travellers while urging international support to compel Pakistan to control terrorist groups based on its territory.