Srinagar: In a decisive crackdown, security forces demolished the houses of two local terrorists linked to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 tourists dead. Explosive-led demolitions took place Thursday night in Anantnag and Awantipora, targeting the residences of Adil Hussain Thokar and Asif Sheikh.
Thokar, who reportedly crossed into Pakistan via Attari-Wagah in 2018, acted as a guide and logistics coordinator for Pakistani militants. Sheikh, a Pulwama resident, is suspected of direct involvement in the attack, which primarily targeted Hindu pilgrims.
VIDEO | House of terrorist Asif Sheikh, who was allegedly involved in Pahalgam terror attack, was blown up in Jammu and Kashmir’s Tral. More details awaited.
(Source: Third Party)
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/KQLGoPRpgf
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 25, 2025
The Anantnag Police announced a ₹20 lakh reward for information leading to the capture of three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists believed to be behind the attack — Thokar, Hashim Musa alias Suleman, and Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai.
In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a strong message from Bihar’s Madhubani, vowing “unimaginable” consequences for the perpetrators and their backers. “This is not just an attack on tourists but on the soul of India,” he said, pledging relentless pursuit and justice.
Diplomatic tensions have escalated, with India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Attari-Wagah border, revoking Pakistani SAARC visas, expelling Pakistani advisors, and slashing High Commission staff levels effective May 1.
The attack, condemned globally, marks the worst cross-border strike since Pulwama in 2019 and has reignited Indo-Pak hostilities.
