• India's NIA charges Pakistan-based groups and six individuals over the Pahalgam attack.
• Lashkar-e-Taiba and TRF accused of planning the attack that killed 26 tourists.
• Charges filed following an eight-month investigation tracing links to Pakistan.
• Incident sparked severe retaliations and escalated tensions between India and Pakistan.
• This is the first time LeT is charged as a legal entity in such cases.

India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed charges against two Pakistan-based militant groups, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and The Resistance Front (TRF), along with six individuals, in connection with the deadly terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which occurred in April. This attack claimed the lives of 26 individuals, intensifying hostilities between the nuclear-armed nations, as India accused Pakistan of being behind the assault, a claim that Islamabad has vehemently denied, according to Reuters and India Times.

The comprehensive 1,597-page chargesheet links the militant groups directly to the planning and execution of the attack, with allegations of active involvement from individuals based in Pakistan. The document reveals that key figures, including Sajid Jatt, a handler associated with LeT, orchestrated the attack and have been formally charged with various terrorism-related offenses, including waging war against India. This development marks a significant moment, as it represents the first instance where LeT has been charged as a legal entity in such investigations, highlighting the group's ongoing influence in regional terrorism, according to BBC and India Times.

The NIA's investigation not only identifies the attackers but also presents evidence linking the operations to the Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI, suggesting a broader conspiracy targeting India. The Pahalgam incident, noted for its brutality, was one of the deadliest assaults in recent years, prompting immediate military responses and escalating tensions in the already volatile Kashmir region. The investigative body has outlined that its findings are corroborated by various materials recovered from the attackers' hideout, cementing the prosecution's case against the accused, according to Reuters and BBC.