New Delhi:
Days after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, the houses of five terrorists, including a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander, have been destroyed across Jammu and Kashmir on Friday night. According to officials, the latest actions were taken in Shopian, Kulgam, and Pulwama districts as the security forces have intensified the crackdown on LeT operatives and suspects linked to the deadly attack.
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In Shopian’s Chotipora village, the house of LeT commander Shahid Ahmed Kutte was razed and reduced to rubble. Kutte has been active in terror-related activities for the past three to four years and is accused of playing a major role in coordinating anti-national operations, officials said.
Watch: The house of active top Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist commander Shahid Ahmad Kuttay from Chotipora, Shopian, has been razed to the ground by authorities. Shahid has been active for the past 3–4 years and is involved in numerous anti-national activities pic.twitter.com/wjtpomSw7d
— IANS (@ians_india) April 26, 2025
Another house of an active terrorist, Zahid Ahmed, was demolished in Kulgam’s Matalam area.
While, in Pulwama’s Murran area, the house of a terrorist, Ahsan Ul Haq, was razed to the ground with an explosion. Ahsan, who underwent terror training in Pakistan in 2018, had recently re-entered the Valley, raising concerns among intelligence agencies.
Another double-storey home of LeT terrorist Ehsan Ahmad Sheikh, who has been active since June 2023, was torn down.
The residence of the fifth terrorist, Haris Ahmad, who has also been active since 2023, was razed in a blast in Pulwama’s Kachipora area.
Sources said that a case has been registered against all terrorists.
On Thursday night, the houses of two LeT terrorists, Adil Hussain Thoker and Asif Sheikh, who were behind the Pahalgam attack, were destroyed in separate blasts. Sources said that some explosives were kept inside their houses.
The Anantnag Police on Thursday had released sketches of Thoker and two other terrorists suspected to be involved in the Pahalgam attack. Officials said that the two other suspects – Hashim Musa alias Suleman and Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai – were Pakistani nationals and announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for information leading to their arrests.
Twenty-six people, including one Nepali national, were killed and many others were injured as multiple terrorists descended on Baisaran Valley, known as “Mini Switzerland” – a tourist hotspot with rolling hills and verdant orchards – and opened fire on Tuesday. Eyewitnesses said that as the gunshots rang out, there was panic among the tourists who ran for cover. However, there was no place for them to hide in the wide, open space.
A massive hunt has been launched to track down the terrorists, with the Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jammu and Kashmir police cordoning off the area.
Taking strict action against the deadly attack, India suspended the Indus Water Treaty, citing “sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also vowed to “identify, track and punish” every terrorist and their “backers” who were behind the Pahalgam attack.
