NIA Team Visits Odisha Home Of Tourist Killed In Pahalgam Terror Attack

Bhubaneswar: In a major development, a team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) visited the home of Prasant Kumar Satpathy in Odisha’s Balasore district as part of their probe into the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that claimed the lives of 26 tourists. Satpathy was among the victims of the brutal assault.

The three-member NIA team arrived at Satpathy’s residence in Ishani village, where they are set to question his wife, Priyadarshini, and son, both eyewitnesses to the attack. Their visit forms part of an ongoing effort to gather evidence for the investigation, being spearheaded by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Sources indicated that the team plans to conduct a detailed inquiry with Priyadarshini to obtain crucial information about the circumstances leading up to the attack. Investigators hope her account will help reconstruct the sequence of events that culminated in the tragic loss of lives.

Satpathy, an employee of the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET) in Balasore, had traveled to Jammu and Kashmir with his wife and son on April 19 for a vacation. On April 22, while the family was visiting the scenic Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, a group of terrorists opened fire, fatally shooting Satpathy in the head. His wife and son narrowly survived the attack, which left 26 dead.

NIA officials emphasized that speaking with the families and close associates of the victims is essential to uncover any possible threats, communications, or suspicious activities that might have preceded the incident.

Devastated by the loss of her husband, Priyadarshini is expected to provide vital insights that could help investigators better understand the broader context of the attack. Sources said she has already been extensively questioned by the investigation team.

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