Pahalgam horror: Honeymoon video, zipline ride & a reel caught the massacre that killed 26 ¡ª now key NIA clues; here¡¯s what we know

When families and honeymooners visited the peaceful Pahalgam, Kashmir, they expected a scenic holiday. But on April 22, their vacation turned into a nightmare. As terrorists launched a deadly assault killing 26 people, some tourists ended up recording the incident on their phones unknowingly capturing key footage now helping the investigation. Here's how it unfolded.

A photographer¡¯s tree-top escape

A local photographer known for making romantic reels of honeymooners at Baisaran climbed up a tree to escape gunfire when the attack began. He had been capturing scenic visuals when terrorists emerged from behind shops and began shooting at tourists at point-blank range. Instead of fleeing without a trace, he continued filming from the tree, recording crucial footage.

Now, this footage is in the hands of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is using it to track the attackers and reconstruct the timeline. His identity has been kept secret for his protection. According to reports, this footage may hold essential clues in identifying the gunmen and those who may have supported them.

Zipline ride becomes video evidence

Rushi Bhatt, a tourist from Ahmedabad, had no idea what he was about to capture when he took a zipline ride with his selfie stick. As he enjoyed the ride, his camera caught people running below and the sound of gunfire in the background. Initially believing it was just commotion, Bhatt realized it was a terror attack only after seeing people collapse to the ground as per The Indian Express.

His wife and son were on the ground and started shouting at him to get down. Bhatt quickly unbuckled before the zipline endpoint and joined his family to escape. They crouched on the ground until the firing paused, and Army personnel arrived to help them. After returning to Ahmedabad, Bhatt reviewed the video and shared it with a defence officer, who later cleared it for wider sharing. No agency has yet taken his official statement.

Pune family¡¯s vacation reel captures suspects days before attack

Four days before the attack, Sreejit Rameshan, a social activist from Pune, was on vacation with his wife and two children at the same Baisaran meadow. They returned safely, unaware of what would happen days later. But once news of the massacre broke, panic calls from friends and relatives started pouring in.

While going through their trip footage, Rameshan noticed two men in the background of a reel shot by his daughter on April 18. The faces and attire of the two matched photos of the four suspects released by the authorities. He immediately shared the video with local police and the NIA, asking them to verify the footage in the interest of national safety. He also raised concerns over the lack of security at the popular tourist destination.

Victims included a newlywed navy officer

Among the 26 victims was 26-year-old Indian Navy officer Vinay Narwal from Haryana, who had been married just four days earlier. He was on his honeymoon with his wife when the terrorists targeted him. His wife later told reporters that the gunman asked her husband¡¯s religion before shooting him.

¡°We were just having bhelpuri¡­ and then he shot my husband,¡± she said in tears. According to sources, the terrorists forced victims to recite religious verses before opening fire. They also snatched two phones, one from a local and another from a tourist.

Local Kashmiri operating the ropeway saw & heard gun shots and CLEARLY SAID "Allah Hu Akbar" Three times but didn't stop the ropeway. Shows Locals were somehow involved with the Pahalgam attack Terrorists pic.twitter.com/DER8OXG2pu

¡ª Rosy (@rose_k01) April 28, 2025

What the investigation reveals so far

The NIA, under orders from the Ministry of Home Affairs, has taken charge of the probe. Senior officials have been on site since April 23. Preliminary findings show that the attackers¡ªthree from Pakistan and one local named Adil Thokar¡ªtrekked through mountainous terrain for nearly 22 hours from Kokernag forest to reach Baisaran.

Once there, the attackers split up two emerged near shops, while the others opened fire near the zipline area. The violence was swift and brutal, with chaos spreading in minutes.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.