Pahalgam Massacre: GoPro Camera Used for Reconnaissance, NIA Court Seeks Purchase Details from China | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: A GoPro Hero 12 Black camera transported from China to Jammu and Kashmir was allegedly used for pre-attack reconnaissance and operational preparation by the terrorist module involved in the April 22, 2025, attack at Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam, in which 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local guide, were killed.

Jammu-based newspaper Daily Excelsior reported that the disclosure was made in an application filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) before the Special NIA Court in Jammu, seeking approval to issue a Letter Rogatory to Chinese authorities to trace the purchaser and end user of the device.

The Special NIA Court granted permission and issued the Letter Rogatory, observing that key information relating to the camera’s activation, initial use and commercial trail lies within the jurisdiction of the People’s Republic of China. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had accorded concurrence for initiating the process.

According to the NIA’s application, the camera bearing serial number C3501325471706 is a “crucial electronic device” relevant to establishing pre-attack reconnaissance, movement and operational preparation of the terrorist module behind the Pahalgam attack.

The agency informed the court that despite examining various material objects and electronic devices connected with the conspiracy and execution of the attack, it has been unable to trace the camera’s end-user records or determine how the device was transported from China to Jammu and Kashmir. To establish linkage, user attribution and the evidentiary chain of custody, the NIA sought judicial permission to formally approach Chinese authorities.

In its order, the Special Judge under the NIA Act, Jammu, observed that the information sought is “very important” for establishing the chain of custody, user attribution and evidentiary linkage of the seized device. Exercising powers under Section 112 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the court allowed the application and directed the issuance of a Letter Rogatory to the competent judicial authority of the People’s Republic of China to trace the purchaser, end user and associated technical records.

The court noted that since India and China are not signatories to a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), assistance can be sought under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, which has been ratified by both countries.

The court further directed the Investigating Officer to upload a soft copy of the Letter Rogatory, along with translated versions, on the MLAT portal. Three physical sets of the Letter Rogatory — one original and two photocopies — along with Chinese translations, are to be sent to the International Police Cooperation Unit (IPCU) of the Central Bureau of Investigation, the nodal agency for coordination with global law enforcement bodies, including Interpol. The IPCU has been instructed to forward the request to Chinese authorities through diplomatic channels.

As per submissions made by the NIA, the camera was supplied by US-based manufacturer GoPro B.V. to AE Group International Limited, a distributor based in China. The device was reportedly activated on January 30, 2024, in Dongguan, China.

The NIA had earlier issued a notice to the manufacturer seeking details of the purchaser and end user. In response, GoPro B.V. stated that it does not maintain downstream transaction data and does not possess information regarding the device’s end-user records.

The agency informed the court that the activation, initial use and commercial trail of the device fall within the territorial jurisdiction of China and that the information necessary to trace the purchaser and associated technical records can only be obtained through judicial assistance from Chinese authorities as part of efforts to unearth the larger conspiracy behind the Pahalgam attack.