New Delhi :
Investigators probing the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 tourists — including a Nepali national — were killed, have identified a GoPro action camera as a crucial piece of electronic evidence in the case.
The attack was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), widely regarded as a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is leading the probe, recovered a GoPro Hero 12 Black camera bearing serial number C3501325471706. According to the agency, the device is believed to be linked to pre-attack reconnaissance, movement patterns, and operational preparations of the terror module. The NIA informed a special court in Jammu that the camera could provide critical insights into the planning and execution of the attack.
As per the agency’s findings, the camera was first activated on January 30, 2024, in Dongguan, China. In response to a notice issued by investigators, the manufacturer, GoPro BV, informed the agency that the device had been supplied to a China-based distributor, AE Group International Limited. However, the company stated that it does not possess records of downstream transactions or the identity of the final end user.
To determine who purchased and used the camera, and how it eventually reached the attackers, the NIA plans to send a Letter of Rogatory — a formal judicial request for international legal assistance — to Chinese authorities. The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the request, and on March 2, a special court in Jammu granted permission to seek assistance from China’s judicial authorities.
As India and China do not have a bilateral Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), the request will be processed under the provisions of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), to which both countries are signatories.
The court observed that establishing the chain of custody of the camera, user attribution, and evidentiary linkage to the broader conspiracy behind the Pahalgam attack would be critical to the investigation. Investigators believe that the device could play a pivotal role in reconstructing the planning and execution of the deadly assault.
