On 22 April 2025, a terrorist attack targeting tourists took place in Pahalgam, Kashmir. The Resistance Front (TRF), a terrorist organisation, initially claimed responsibility for the attack. However, on 25 April 2025, TRF issued a fresh statement on its social media platforms, denying any involvement in the Pahalgam incident and distancing itself from the earlier claim. The attackers had opened fire on tourists in the Baisaran area, popularly known as Mini Switzerland. Several media reports stated that survivors recalled how the terrorists asked the victims about their religion before shooting them dead (here, here). According to reports, the attack claimed the lives of 26 people (here, here).
Following the Pahalgam attack, India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, expelled Pakistani military advisors from New Delhi, and withdrew its military advisors from Islamabad. All Pakistani nationals with SAARC visas were told to leave within 48 hours, and Indian citizens were advised to return from Pakistan immediately. The Indian Army began search operations, intensified in Jammu and Kashmir, with terrorists killed in Kulgam and Baramulla. Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi visited Kashmir on 25 April 2025 to review the situation.
As part of heightened action, authorities demolished at least 10 houses of suspected attackers, including properties in Anantnag, Kupwara, and Shopian. The move drew criticism from local leaders as collective punishment. The NIA took over the probe, detaining over 1,500 people for questioning. Search operations continue across Jammu and Kashmir. (here and here).
Amidst these developments, several videos are going viral on social media, claiming to show Army personnel carrying the bodies of militants involved in the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. Let’s verify the claim made in the post through this article.
Disclaimer: This article contains sensitive visuals that may distress some viewers; reader discretion is advised.
Claim: The videos show Army personnel carrying the bodies of militants involved in the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack.
Fact: Old and unrelated videos are being falsely shared as evidence of the Indian Army killing the terrorists involved in the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. These videos are from before the incident and are not related to the recent operations of the Indian Army. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
Video 1
This video (here, here, and here) is being shared with the claim that all four terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack were tracked down and killed by the Indian Army.
A reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video led us to the same video uploaded on YouTube on 10 December 2018, though no additional details were provided. We also found the video shared by a Facebook user on 17 February 2019. This confirms that the video has been available online well before the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
While we cannot independently verify when and where the viral video was recorded, the video has been online at least since 2018.
Video 2
This video (here, here, and here) is being shared with the claim that it shows the body of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Altaf Lali being carried after he was killed.
To verify the claim, we did a Google keyword search and found (here, here, and here) that on 25 April 2025, top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Altaf Lali—suspected to be linked to the Pahalgam terror attack—was killed in an encounter by Indian security forces in Bandipora, Jammu and Kashmir. The joint operation, carried out based on specific intelligence inputs, also resulted in injuries to two police personnel.
We then performed a reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video, which led us to an X post dated 07 May 2020. The post featured the same video without any additional context. This confirms that the video has been online since well before Altaf Lali’s encounter, ruling out the possibility that it shows his dead body.
While we cannot independently verify when and where the viral video was recorded, the video has been online at least since 2020.
On the other hand, the Anantnag Police have released the names and sketches of the terrorists involved in the 2025 Pahalgam attack: Adil Hussain Thokar, Hashim Musa alias Suleman, and Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai. Adil Hussain Thokar is identified as a suspect in the attack, and his family home in Guree village was demolished by security forces. Several of his relatives, including his father and brothers, have been detained. (here, here, and here).
However, as of 30 April 2025, there have been no reports confirming that all the militants involved in the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack have been killed.
To sum up, old and unrelated videos are being falsely shared as visuals of the Indian Army killing the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack.
