Srinagar, April 25, 2025 — The dusty rubble of two houses in Jammu and Kashmir tells a grim story today, as authorities demolished the homes of suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists linked to the brutal Pahalgam attack that left 26 dead just days ago. In a swift, heavy-handed response, security forces brought down the residences of Adil Hussain Thokar and Asif Sheikh, signaling a no-mercy stance against those tied to the carnage in Baisaran meadow.
The attack on April 22 was a bloodbath. A group of gunmen, clad in camouflage and wielding M4 carbines and AK-47s, stormed the lush, tourist-packed meadow near Pahalgam, a spot nicknamed “mini Switzerland” for its postcard-perfect views. They fired indiscriminately, targeting male Hindu tourists after demanding names and religious affiliations. Some victims were forced to recite Islamic verses or face execution-style shootings. The death toll included 25 Indians and one Nepalese national, with over 20 others wounded, some critically. The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadowy offshoot of the Pakistan-based LeT, claimed responsibility, citing anger over “demographic changes” in Kashmir following the 2019 scrapping of Article 370.
Late Thursday night, the homes of Thokar in Anantnag’s Bijbehara and Sheikh in Pulwama’s Tral were reduced to debris. Authorities say explosives, possibly pre-planted, went off during searches, obliterating Thokar’s house, while a bulldozer tore through Sheikh’s. Thokar, a local who allegedly trained in Pakistan in 2018 before slipping back into Kashmir last year, is accused of aiding the attackers’ planning. Sheikh, meanwhile, is suspected of playing a supporting role in the conspiracy. No official statement from police has confirmed the demolitions’ details, but visuals from the sites show shattered concrete and twisted metal, with locals picking through the wreckage.
The Anantnag police have slapped a 20-lakh-rupee bounty on Thokar and two Pakistani nationals, Hashim Musa and Ali Bhai, believed to be among the six or seven attackers. Sketches of the trio, using code names like Moosa and Yunus, are circulating, with authorities urging tips to track them down. The National Investigation Agency is also on the ground, combing the attack site for clues, while the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir police have launched a manhunt across the Pir Panjal range, where the militants reportedly fled.
This isn’t just a local crackdown—it’s a flashpoint. India has pointed fingers at Pakistan, accusing its establishment of backing the attack through LeT commander Saifullah Kasuri, the alleged mastermind. New Delhi’s response has been fierce: suspending the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, shutting the Attari border post, and expelling Pakistani diplomats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cutting short a Saudi Arabia trip, vowed to hunt the attackers “to the ends of the earth.” Pakistan, in turn, called the treaty suspension an “act of war,” raising fears of escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
The demolitions come amid a tense lockdown in Pahalgam, with tourists fleeing and the annual Amarnath Yatra’s fate uncertain. Protests have erupted across India, from Srinagar’s Dal Lake to Pune’s crematoriums, where victims’ funerals drew thousands. A pony operator, Syed Adil Hussain Shah, was the sole local killed, shot while trying to shield tourists. His bravery has sparked tributes, with Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister pledging aid to his family.
Security forces remain on high alert, with helicopters scouring the rugged terrain. An Indian soldier died in a related gunfight in Udhampur’s Basantgarh area, underscoring the ongoing hunt’s dangers. The Jammu and Kashmir administration has issued helpline numbers for stranded tourists, while Air India added flights to ease the exodus.
The Baisaran meadow, once a haven for honeymooners and trekkers, is now a crime scene. The attack, the deadliest in Kashmir since the 2008 Mumbai siege, has shattered the region’s fragile calm. As the manhunt intensifies and diplomatic ties fray, the demolished houses stand as a stark warning: India’s response will be unrelenting.