Crackdown against terrorists intensifies: 10 houses razed after Pahalgam attack | What we know so far

The Jammu and Kashmir Police, along with the security forces, have launched a massive crackdown on terrorism, days after the Pahalgam attack in which 26 civilians were killed.

The crackdown not only included beefing up security in the Union Territory, launching search operations, and raiding multiple locations identified as terrorists' safe havens, but also 'demolishing' homes belonging to identified and suspected terrorists.

A group of terrorists opened fire at civilians in the UT's Pahalgam district on April 22, killing 26, mostly tourists.

So far, at least 10 homes belonging to terrorists and their overground workers have been demolished since the Pahalgam attack, news agency PTI reported.

Here are top 5 updates:

Houses of three suspects demolished in Shopian

Adnan Shafi, identified by the authorities as an active terrorist, is believed to be involved in the Pahalgam terror attack, an ANI report said. His house in Wandina village, located in the Zainapora tehsil of the Shopian district was demolished, the ANI report said on Sunday.

According to the police, Shafi joined a terrorist organisation a year ago.

The authorities demolished the house of another suspect linked to the Pahalgam terror attack. According to officials, the house in the Naz colony, Bandipora district, allegedly belonged to a terrorist believed to be involved in the April 22 attack, the report added.

A third house, located in the Chotipora village of the Shopian district, was demolished on Saturday. The house belonged to another suspect linked to the Pahalgam attack, ANI said.

Identified terrorist's house demolished in Kulgam

Another suspect, identified as Zakir Ahmad Ganie, is believed to be linked to the Pahalgam attack. His house at the Mutalhama village in Kulgam district was also demolished by the authorities. The report, quoting officials, said that Ganie had been active in terror activities since 2023.

Three LeT terrorists on hit list

Adil Thokar alias Adil Guree is believed to have been involved in the Pahalgam attack. Declared as ‘most wanted’, Adil is an identified Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, with a bounty of ₹20 lakh on his head. The Anantnag Police have offered the reward for any specific information leading to his arrest.

A resident of Guree village in Bijbehara block of Anantnag, his house was demolished on April 25. According to the ANI report, Adil had illegally travelled to Pakistan in 2018, where he reportedly received terror training before returning to Jammu and Kashmir last year.

A PTI report said that the house of Asif Fauji alias Asif Sheikh was demolished in South Kashmir's Tral. While some reports suggested that the houses were destroyed by a blast, others from Kashmir said security forces were carrying out search operations at these residences of two LeT terrorists when explosives, already planted inside the houses, detonated.

In a similar action in Chotipora of the Shopian district, the house of an active top LeT commander Shahid Ahmad Kuttay was razed, the report said.

Houses demolished in Pulwama, Bandipora

Officials told PTI on Sunday that the house of an active terrorist, identified as Amir Nazir, was demolished in Pulwama district.

In Bandipora district, the house of LeT terrorist Jameel Ahmad Shergojri was demolished. Shergojri has been an active terrorist since 2016.

On Friday night, the house of Ahsan ul Haq Sheikh in the Muran area of Pulwama district was torn down, officials said, adding that he was "trained in Pakistan" in 2018 and had recently "infiltrated" into the Valley.

House blown up in Kupwara

A house was blown up by security forces in the Kalaroos area of Kupwara district in north Kashmir, the officials told PTI. The house belonged to identified terrorists Farooq Ahmad Tedwa and Miskeen Ahmad Tedwa, who are currently operating from Pakistan.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)