Pahalgam attack: House of another terror suspect demolished in J-K’s Shopian

In a continued crackdown following the Pahalgam terror attack, security forces and Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) authorities demolished the house of another suspect linked to the assault that left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead and several injured.

According to officials, the house in Chotipora village in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir was allegedly linked to a terrorist believed to be involved in the April 22 attack.

In a separate action, authorities also demolished the house of another suspect identified as Zakir Ahmad Ganie, at Mutalhama village in Kulgam district. Ganie is believed to have played a role in the Pahalgam terror attack, which has sparked nationwide outrage.

Officials said Gaine had been active in terror activities since 2023.

Earlier on Friday, the house of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Adil Thokar, also known as Adil Guree, was demolished. Adil Guree, a resident of Guree village in Bijbehara block of Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, is believed to have been involved in the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people, including a Nepalese national, mostly tourists. He has been declared the most wanted, and the Anantnag Police have offered a reward of Rs 20 lakh for any specific information leading to his arrest. Two Pakistani nationals were also declared most wanted in the case.

Adil had illegally travelled to Pakistan in 2018, where he reportedly received terror training before returning to Jammu and Kashmir last year.

The family of one of the terrorists allegedly involved in the Pahalgam attack, whose house was demolished on Friday morning, has called him a “Mujahideen”.

The houses of two Lashkar-e-Taliba terrorists believed to be involved in the Pahalgam terror attack were demolished earlier. One house of LeT terrorist in Tral, Pulwama and the other of a terrorist, Adil Guree, in Anantnag were demolished.

Speaking with ANI, the sister of the terrorist whose house was demolished in Tral, said, “My one brother is in jail, the other brother is a ‘Mujahideen’, and I also have two sisters. Yesterday, when I came here from my in-laws’ place, I did not find my parents and siblings at their home. Police had taken them all away.”

The sister said the family is innocent and doesn’t know anything about their brother’s involvement.

Moreover, two terrorist associates were arrested by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J-K) Kulgam district, the police sources said on Saturday. According to officials, the duo were arrested from Thokerpora in Qaimoh area of the district.

On Friday, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, for the first time following the Pahalgam terror attack, reached Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar and reviewed the security situation of the Union Territory.

This comes amid uproar over terrorists attacking tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on April 22, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen while leaving several others injured.

The Indian Army is on a high alert, launching several search operations to neutralise the terrorists following the attack in Pahalgam. The incident has sparked nationwide outrage, with widespread protests erupting across the country, demanding stricter action against Pakistan over the Pahalgam attack.