Forces demolish houses of eight militants across Kashmir following Pahalgam attack

Authorities have demolished houses of six active militants and their associates over the past two days across Kashmir following the attack on tourists in Pahalgam that killed 26 and left several others injured.

The move comes alongside the detention of over 2000 suspects across the Valley even as raids and search operations continued in almost all the districts. The agencies have also identified a list of 14 local militants actively operating in the Union Territory.

The list of militants whose homes have been demolished till now include Adil Ahmad Thokar, Ahsan ul Haq Sheikh, Shahid Ahmad, Asif Sheikh, Haris Ahmad, Adnan Shafi, Amir Nazir and Farooq Teedwa.


“This is to create a deterrence to avoid any such attacks in future. Many more actions will be taken in the coming days. A list of the persons operating from Pakistan and across the LoC who are in the Red List is being finalized for similar action,” said a senior police official.

After 2019, the authorities first decided to not handover the bodies of militants to their families and instead bury them in far off designated graveyards, sometimes more than 100 kms from their residence. Following this, through a legal mechanism, the authorities started attachment of properties of militants and their suspected overground workers. Now the latest move of demolishing their homes, is seen as a step to create deterrence on ground and scuttle the possibility of further attacks. The family members of the militants have accused the authorities of punishing them for the ‘actions of their relatives.’

In Srinagar the police informed that they conducted raids at the residences of around 63 alleged overground workers of the militants in connection with the investigation of a case registered under UAPA. “The decisive action of the J&K police aims to dismantle the terrorist ecosystem in J&K by identifying and taking legal action against individuals engaged in such anti-national and criminal activities,” read the statement.

Meanwhile, as the search operation in Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam continued the tourist resort limped back to normalcy on Saturday witnessing a return of few tourists. Locals were also hopeful of returning to routine soon. The police continued to question the ponywalas to get clues about the attackers and the track they used to reach Baisaran Valley.