The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a 535-page chargesheet in the Kishtwar terror attack case, naming a local man accused of sheltering a Jaish-e-Mohammad-linked group along with three Pakistani terrorists who were killed by security forces. The chargesheet was filed before the NIA Special Court in Jammu on Friday, October 9, and the agency says its probe has traced the conspiracy behind the attack directly to Pakistan.
The Attack in Chatroo
The case relates to an attack on February 22, 2026, at Wani Mohalla in Passer Kote, in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the NIA, a three-member group led by a commander named Saifullah carried out the attack. Security forces returned fire and all three terrorists were killed.
The group, the agency says, was linked to the Kashmir Tigers (Azrael Group), an outfit that operates under the banned Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). The NIA has described it as active in the upper reaches of Kishtwar and alleges it was involved in several earlier attacks that killed security personnel and local residents.
Who Has Been Charged
The only living accused named in the chargesheet is Maneer Ahmed, son of Mohammad Yousuf Koli, a resident of Naidgam in Chatroo, Inderwal, Kishtwar. He has been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) for allegedly harbouring and concealing the terrorists and supporting the group. In security parlance, such supporters are often called overground workers, people who provide food, shelter, information or movement help to militants without carrying weapons themselves.
The three killed terrorists have also been chargesheeted. The NIA identified the group's leader as Saifullah, also known as Saifullah Kashmiri, Atiq Nazir and Atiq Ur Rehman, a Pakistan resident and JeM commander. Penal provisions for waging war against India and conspiring to carry out terror activities from across the border have been invoked against them.
| Case Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date of attack | February 22, 2026 |
| Location | Wani Mohalla, Passer Kote, Chatroo, Kishtwar (J&K) |
| Outfit | Kashmir Tigers (Azrael Group), linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad |
| Terrorists killed | 3 Pakistani nationals, led by Saifullah |
| Accused chargesheeted | Maneer Ahmed (alive) + 3 killed terrorists |
| Law invoked | UAPA, 1967 and penal provisions on waging war |
| Chargesheet | 535 pages, filed October 9, 2026 |
| Court | NIA Special Court, Jammu |
| Case number | RC-03/2026/NIA/JMU |
How the NIA Built the Case
The agency took over the investigation and registered the case as RC-03/2026/NIA/JMU. After nearly five months of investigation, it says it was able to map out the roles played by each of the three terrorists and by the local accused. The core finding is that the plan was directed from across the border, and that local support helped the group stay hidden in the difficult terrain of Chatroo before the attack. The NIA has said further investigation is continuing, which means more names could be added later through a supplementary chargesheet.
Why Kishtwar Matters
Kishtwar, in the Chenab region of Jammu division, is a district of steep mountains, thick forests and scattered hamlets. Its remoteness has made it a difficult area for security operations, and the Chatroo belt in particular has seen repeated encounters over the past few years. Security agencies have long warned that small groups of foreign terrorists use the forests and high ridges of the region to move between Kishtwar, Doda and the Kashmir valley.
The Kashmir Tigers is one of several new-sounding names that have emerged in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years. Investigators have repeatedly said these groups are fronts for established Pakistan-based outfits such as Jaish-e-Mohammad, used to give attacks a local face.
What It Means for Readers
For people in Jammu and Kashmir, and for the families of security personnel posted there, the chargesheet is a step towards accountability in a case where the attackers themselves are dead. Cases like this often hinge on proving the support network, because without shelter, food and local guidance, small infiltrating groups cannot survive for long in such terrain. A successful prosecution of the harbouring charge would send a message to anyone tempted to help militants.
The NIA's finding of a direct Pakistan link also adds to the body of evidence India cites in international forums about cross-border terrorism.
What Happens Next
The NIA Special Court in Jammu will now take cognisance of the chargesheet and begin proceedings against Maneer Ahmed, who has the right to contest the charges. Since the three terrorists are dead, the case against them will effectively abate, but the evidence about their roles remains central to proving the conspiracy and the harbouring allegation. The agency has indicated that its investigation into the wider network is not over.
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