House of Pahalgam attacker demolished as police begin crackdown against terrorists in Kashmir

The house of one of the terrorists, Adil Thokar, allegedly involved in the Pahalgam attack, was demolished by authorities on Thursday night.

Thokar, a member of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), who also goes by the name Adil Guree, had legally travelled to Pakistan in 2018 and reportedly received terror training there. He returned to Jammu and Kashmir last year.

According to a report by the Times of India, intelligence sources say that Thokar served as the guide and logistics coordinator for terrorists in the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people.

Meanwhile, the Anantnag Police has announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for information leading to the arrests of Thokar, Ali Bhai, and Hashim Musa.

Security beefed up

Security across the region has been beefed up following the terror attack in Pahalgam.

A joint operation involving the Army, CRPF, and J&K Police is currently underway in the region. The operation has been extended to cover a 5-kilometre radius from the site of the attack in Pahalgam. Special forces, sniffer dogs, and various technical intelligence resources have been mobilised to locate the attackers.

The Kashmir Valley has been swamped with additional checkpoints, with quick reaction teams being deployed in key installations and tourist hotspots.

Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi will travel to Baisaran Valley on Friday to hold a security meeting following the attacks.

All-party meeting

Leaders across party lines on Thursday called for decisive action against terrorism and terror camps, and assured the government of their full support, even as some opposition parties flagged security lapses in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, where terrorists gunned down 26 people.

During an all-party meeting to discuss the April 22 Pahalgam attack, the government said it was taking all measures to ensure security and assured the leaders of action against terrorism and its backers.

It noted that the Pahalgam attack was aimed at vitiating the atmosphere at a time when the economy was on the upswing and tourism in Jammu and Kashmir was booming.

With inputs from agencies