Jammu, 31 October (H.S.): Deputy Inspector General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Sandeep Chaudhary, who headed the investigation into the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, has been awarded the Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation (Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak) for 2026.

The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the awardees on Saturday, with Chaudhary being recognised in the investigation category for his professional contribution to the probe.

A 2012-batch IPS officer of the AGMUT cadre, Chaudhary was the Chief Investigating Officer in the April 22, 2025 terror attack at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.

The NIA took over the investigation soon after the attack and subsequently filed a chargesheet against several accused, including Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives Hafiz Saeed and Sajid Jatt.

Before joining the NIA, Chaudhary served as Senior Superintendent of Police in Shopian, Anantnag and Srinagar, where he led several counter-terrorism operations.

He has been decorated with gallantry medals nine times for his role in anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

He has also received commendation discs from the Chief of Army Staff, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command, Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force and the Directors General of CRPF, J&K Police, Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) and NIA.

Earlier, an operation led by Chaudhary resulted in the arrest of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Syed Naveed Mushtaq alias Naveed Babu along with then Deputy Superintendent of Police Davinder Singh in 2021.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar