Shopian (Jammu and Kashmir) [India]: In a continued and intensified security crackdown following the deadly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have demolished multiple houses linked to suspects believed to be involved in the assault, which left 26 people dead, including a Nepali national, and many injured.
Demolitions Across Districts
Security forces on Saturday razed the house of a suspect in Chotipora village in the Shopian district. The residence was allegedly connected to a terrorist believed to be involved in the Baisaran meadow attack.
Simultaneously, in Kulgam’s Mutalhama village, the house of Zakir Ahmad Ganie, another suspected associate, was also demolished. Ganie is believed to have been active in terrorist activities since 2023 and is suspected of playing a significant role in the Pahalgam assault.
Earlier, security forces demolished the home of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Adil Thokar, also known as Adil Guree, in Anantnag’s Guree village. Adil, who reportedly received terror training in Pakistan in 2018, returned to the region last year and has since been involved in terror activities. He has now been declared most wanted, with a Rs 20 lakh reward announced for information leading to his capture.
Family Reactions and Local Tensions
In Tral, Pulwama, where another LeT suspect’s home was destroyed, a woman identifying herself as the sister of the terrorist claimed her family was innocent.
“My one brother is in jail, the other brother is a ‘Mujahideen’… police took away my parents and siblings,” she told ANI.
Ongoing Security Operations
Security forces also arrested two terror associates from Thokerpora in Qaimoh, Kulgam district. The arrests and demolitions follow intelligence inputs and are part of a wider strategy to neutralize threats post-attack.
On Friday, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi visited Srinagar to review the security situation, signaling heightened military preparedness.
Nationwide Reaction and Diplomatic Fallout
The Pahalgam terror attack has triggered widespread national outrage, with protests erupting across several states. Public sentiment is demanding harsher measures against Pakistan, which India blames for continued cross-border terrorism.
In response, India has already revoked visas for Pakistani nationals, suspended parts of the Indus Water Treaty, and closed the Attari border check post, among other diplomatic escalations.