In a strong crackdown on terror operatives following the brutal Pahalgam attack, the house of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Adil Thokar, also known as Adil Guree, has been demolished by authorities in Jammu and Kashmir, officials confirmed on Friday.
Thokar, a resident of Guree village in Bijbehara block of Anantnag district, is a prime suspect in the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people, including one Nepali national, most of them tourists. He has been declared the most wanted in connection with the attack, with Anantnag Police announcing a ₹20 lakh reward for credible information leading to his capture.
According to officials, Thokar legally traveled to Pakistan in 2018, where he is believed to have undergone terror training. He reportedly returned to Jammu and Kashmir in 2024 and re-established links with LeT. Two Pakistani nationals have also been declared most wanted in this case, reflecting cross-border involvement in orchestrating the massacre.
Meanwhile, fresh violence erupted in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir early Friday as security forces clashed with terrorists in the Kulnar Ajas area. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a joint operation was launched by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police.
“On 25 Apr 2025, based on specific intelligence input regarding the presence of terrorists, a Joint Search Operation was launched… Contact was established, and a firefight ensued,” the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps said in a post on X.
During the encounter, two security personnel were injured. The operation is ongoing, and further details are awaited.
These developments come amid nationwide outrage and protests following the Pahalgam attack, which has shaken the country. In response, the Central government has taken several decisive steps, including:
- Suspending the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan
- Shutting down the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari
- Suspending the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani nationals and giving them 40 hours to return
- Reducing the diplomatic staff in both High Commissions
The government’s tough stance has been met with support across the political and civil spectrum, with increasing calls for zero tolerance toward terrorism and its sponsors. The Indian Army, meanwhile, remains on high alert, launching search and destroy missions across the Kashmir Valley to neutralise threats and ensure public safety.